The City of Worcester Cultural Development Division, in partnership with Mass Poetry and The White Room, will host the second annual Worcester Preliminary Teen Poetry Slam for youth ages 13-19 on Feb. 11, 2025.
The Worcester Preliminary Teen Poetry Slam will be hosted by Bruja the Villain at The White Room, 138 Green St. in Worcester, on Feb. 11 from 6 - 9 p.m. Youth will have the opportunity to perform two original poems to be scored by distinguished local jurors including Worcester Poet Laureate Oliver de la Paz, Nic Jean, Daniel Letona, Sharon Amuguni, and Noemi Saafyr Paz. The top four teen competitors will win a $50 cash prize and advance to the next round of the competition.
Participants are invited to register in advance to secure their spot in the Worcester Preliminary Teen Slam competition. To register and for more information visit Individual Teen Preliminary Poetry Slam: Worcester Edition. The event is open to the public.
The second round of the competition, the Individual Slam Finals, will occur March 16, 2025, in downtown Boston during Mass Poetry's statewide Teen Spoken Word Festival "Write Here I Write Now I Speak Loud!" The Teen Spoken Word Festival will feature a weekend of teen slams, workshops, and open mics. Over a hundred teens from Boston, Lowell, and Worcester will have the chance to compete in these slams and prepare to advance to the final round of the competition at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival taking place July 2025 in Washington, D.C.
The competition welcomes all perspectives, including seasoned teen slam poets, as well as youth who are trying performance poetry for the first time.
“Poetry in the hands of youth is a spark that ignites change — a powerful language of self-expression, where every verse is a reflection of their dreams, struggles, and truths. It is the voice they wield to shape the world, the voice that is capable of shifting the fabric of society," said Mass Poetry Director Crystal Valentine.
For more information on the Worcester Poets Laureate Program visit Worcester Poet Laureate & Youth Poet Laureate Programs | City of Worcester, MA.