Ellipsis Open Mic began in August, 2024, on the back of yet another small venue closure, and resultant cancellation of a monthly spoken word open mic event, VoiceBox. Jazz Fechner-Lante and Pam Makin, who were part of the team behind VoiceBox, set out to fill this gap by creating the kind of event they would like to attend – accessible, inclusive, and safe.

The following information is taken from a document prepared in 2025 titled Ellipsis Open Mic – A Procedural Overview. There have been a few subtle alterations since, but no major changes. The document will be reviewed and updated towards the end of 2026.

Ellipsis Open Mic is an event where poets and spoken word artists can meet, perform, and share their work.

We advertise as commencing at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:00 PM. We strive to start on time. Two short breaks (10-15 minutes) are scheduled during the evening.

Sign up begins at 6:00 PM and continues throughout the evening until the list is full.

Participants are asked to provide their name and pronouns, and to indicate photo and video consent on the sign up sheet. The name provided will be used in introductions. We strive to pronounce unfamiliar names correctly but cannot guarantee that we will be successful. Pronouns provided will be used. In the event that pronouns are not provided, the default “they / them” will be used.

Participants are called to the stage in the order they appear on the sign up sheet. Introductions are brief and are made from an off stage mic to improve flow.

There are 20 open mic slots available each month. This may be extended or altered at the discretion of Ellipsis Poetry. Each slot is a maximum of 5 minutes. At the 4:30 mark, a bell will sound. The speaker is expected to finish within 30 seconds of this bell.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own books, zines, small art and craft works to sell, exchange or give away. These will be the sole responsibility of the seller.

Ellipsis Poetry merchandise will also be available at the trading table, including monthly zines. (scroll down for more on this)

A “little library” of poetry, and poetry adjacent, books will be available for attendees to swap. This library will be maintained at 40 books. These are not giveaways, but books to exchange and circulate through the community.

Ellipsis Open Mic strives for a lively, grass roots, community vibe.

Ambient music is provided by Atom, facilitator of Electronic Music Open Mic. Music plays before and after the event and during breaks.

Ellipsis Zines are available, free of charge, at Ellipsis Poetry events, at Page & Turner, and at Arthur Art Bar. The 8-page, black and white zines are each crafted from a single A4 page.

One poetry zine is produced each month. Poems are sought from participants in the Poets Take Over! Word Play activities. A short print run is made and is only available until stocks are exhausted.

Seasonal guides list known events in the Adelaide area that may be of interest to the Ellipsis Poetry community. These guides are compiled in the week prior to a Poets Take Over! event and include events known at that time for subsequent three-month period. A short print run is made and is only available until stocks are exhausted.

From time to time, a special edition zine may be published.

Ellipsis Open Mic will continue to evolve as an event in response to community feedback, identified need, and new ideas.

A survey distributed through the Ellipsis Poetry community in August 2026 will inform next steps. (As mentioned at the top, this information is taken from a document prepared prior to the survey. Some alterations have already taken place as a result of the survey, others will be implemented during 2026.)

For the love of poetry…