Spotlight: Youth Poetry Slam Competition

Deadline: March 9, 2026

Ages: 13 and older

NEW: Resource guide

Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) is inviting poets across the Puget Sound region to step forward and share their voices. WE SPEAK, the center’s annual celebration of spoken-word poetry and storytelling, returns in 2026, and organizers are seeking imaginative performers to take the stage.

This year, the call for artists is open to experienced performers and first-time spoken-word performers alike. Applicants are asked to submit a video sample of an original piece that reflects what matters most to them. There is no set theme.

Finalists will be selected to perform their work live on the ECA stage during WE SPEAK on Friday, May 1, 2026 and will receive recognition through scholarship

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