Mass Poetry is excited to announce the third annual Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud! Teen Spoken Word Festival, taking place on March 28-29, 2026 at Emerson College!
Not only that, but we are announcing a whole season of youth slam events leading up to our culminating weekend, including Individual Teen Slam Prelims, Writing Workshops, Open Mics and Features!
Overview
Last year, in partnership with Emerson College, Mass Poetry brought together youth poets from across the state for two thrilling days of creativity, competition, and community. Now entering our third year, we’re back and ready to do it again. Building on last year’s theme, Sweet Resistance, this year’s rallying theme for community action that meets the current moment is: The Odds are in Our Favor
When talking to poets of all ages on what sustained them through a difficult year of national unease, a single theme rang true among them all. It was the inspiration we feel when witnessing our close friends and collaborators treat us and the people around us with dignity, belonging and belief in human kindness. So this year our theme honors that truth. Look to who stands beside you. We are our best bet for a better world.
Like our previous festivals, we’ve had an incredible assortment of competitive and non-competitive events, and this year is no different! We’re kicking things off with our youth team prelims, which are sure to get everyone out of their seats and loudly celebrate their bold truths to power. From there, our Individual Youth Slam Prelim will determine the final four semi-finalists who will take the Boston City Hall stage at our Individual Slam Finals which will take place after the Festival.
Beyond the competitions, we’re introducing a completely revamped, hands-on Multimedia Expo, open to all youth attendants who want to experiment with poetry across different mediums. And the fun won’t stop there! We’ll also have open mics, stunning features, and workshops from trusted local artists pushing our artform forward. We’ll be announcing our headliners, along with the many talented artists running the expo and workshops, very soon!
Resources for Forming a Slam Team
Want to get involved with the slam season and don’t know where to start? We got you covered! We have a recorded Town Hall meeting featuring all the key information coaches and youth need to know to get properly registered and prepared for our slam season, and guidelines on the kind of culture and community agreements we aim to foster.
Town Hall Info Session Materials: Slam Season, Coaching, and Registering a Team!
Town Hall Info Session Recording
Town Hall Slide Deck *Updated with solidified festival venues and dates!
Recording Time Stamps
- 0:00 / Overview – Slam Season Tracks
- 5:45 / Team Slam Track – Slam Rules and Registration
- 13:05 / Slam Culture and Community Expectations – Coaches Setting the Example
- 18:05 / Official Curriculum – Guide on Starting a Slam Team and Lesson Plans
- 22:05 / Advice for Coaching Performance Skills – Prioritizing Youth Well-Being
- 27:55 / Pick Up Team Info – Intentional Judge Selection
- 32:00 / Individual Slam Track – Youth Registration – Finals, BNV Selection & Commitments
- 34:15 / Individual Slam Rules
- 35:20 / Non-Competitive Track Overview – Focus on FUN! – Open Mics, Workshops, Multimedia Expo
- 39:50 / Mental Health Support – Trained Social Workers Present, Cool Down Spaces, Content Warnings
- 42:32 / Coaches Showcase with Shelby Coe & Lowell Highschool Team Member Nick Park
Official Curriculum
Additionally we’ve published a free curriculum designed for self-starting youth as well as experienced educators to use! It includes a detailed guide on how to start a poetry community, and 7 lesson plans to use, tweak, modify, or find inspiration for creating your own. Download at the link below and get your community started!
Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud! Official Curriculum and Guide
Otto Vock, Mass Poetry’s Teen Spoken Word Coordinator, created this curriculum with the input of literacy instruction and pedagogy specialists at Boston University and Tufts University. The document is living and still being updated with resources and revisions. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions, needs, or feedback and they’ll do their best to support your use of the materials for involvement in our slam season!
Pick-up Team Form
Mission & Values
This is a festival of joining communities rooted in Massachusetts’ rich history of spoken word poetry.
This is a festival of presence — let’s be here in this moment with our minds and our bodies. “If you’re not here, you’re in the wrong place.”
We want to hear what you have to say. This is a festival of raising your voice with intention. This is a festival of actively listening. This is a festival of sharing space and sharing stories.
Get Involved
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who can attend the festival?
There are certain events that are for individuals ages 19 and under ONLY, and there are certain events that are for all ages.
The following events are for ages 19 and under:
- Workshops, open mics, and other non-competitive events taking place on Saturday
- Participation in the Team Slam and the Individual Slam (both require pre-registration)
- Artists’ Resource Fair (*Please Note – adults may attend with an “Adult Chaperone” add-on ticket, secured via Eventbrite)
The following events are for all ages:
- Audience Access to the Team Slam Preliminaries and Finals taking place on Saturday
- Audience Access to the Individual Slam Finals taking place on Sunday
All Festival attendees must first check in at the Bordy Theater in the Union Bank Building before attending any Festival events. Entry to all buildings and events requires a badge and you will not be allowed entrance without it. Tickets to the Team Slam Finals and/or Individual Slam Finals will be included with your badge.
The only exception to this requirement is if you are solely attending the Team Slam Finals or Individual Slam Finals; you may proceed directly to the Semel Theater in the Tufte Building.
Where can I find the schedule/list of events?
VISIT SCHED for the full schedule and festival details!
In which events can teens participate?
All events taking place at the Festival. Please note that in order to compete in the Individual and/or Team Slam, you must register beforehand. You can do so here. The deadline for Team Slam Registration is February 14.
In which events can adults (20+) participate?
Adults can register to watch the Saturday Day Team Slam Preliminaries, Saturday Night Team Slam Finals, and Sunday Night Individual Slam Finals. The other events (workshops, *Artists’ Resource Fair, etc.) are for teens (ages 19 and under) only. *Please note: teens can invite adults to accompany them to the Artists’ Resource Fair. Specifications on the Artists’ Resource Fair, along with other events, are available HERE.
Do I have to pay to attend?
There is no set fee to attend the Festival. Our goal is to offer accessible poetic opportunities to as many teens as possible. We do suggest that adults who attend slam performances offer a donation of $25 to $50 — help us elevate the voices of Massachusetts Youth! Donate HERE.
What kinds of slam competitions are there?
There will be two types of Slam competitions at the Teen Spoken Word Festival: a Team Slam Competition and an Individual Slam Competition. Only teens (ages 13-19) can participate in the Slam Competitions.
- The Team Slam, taking place on Saturday, March 15th, is for registered teams of teens. In order to compete, Teen Poets must be part of a slam team that has registered previously via our Team Registration Form. The deadline for Team Registration is February 14th. This is a one-off event, meaning the winners of this slam will NOT go on to participate in anything beyond this slam.
- The Individual Slam, taking place on Sunday, March 16th, is a qualifying slam in which individual teens can compete for a spot on the Mass Poetry team that will be competing at the Brave New Voices Festival in July 2025. To qualify for the Individual Slam on March 16th, Teens Poets must have participated in one of the preliminary slam competitions, hosted by Mass Poetry and our partners in locations across Massachusetts throughout January, February, and March. Details on those preliminary slams are coming soon. The top four poets of each of these preliminary slams will compete at the festival on March 16th.
For more information, check out our Slam page.
What rules are there for the slam competitions?
Besides the slam competitions, what other events can I attend?
There are plenty of non-competitive events! There will be artistic workshops, an Artists’ Resource Fair for students to explore career opportunities and avenues in the arts, a Poetry & Ice Cream Open Mic, and more! These events are for registered teens ages 19 and under. Slam Competition Viewing is open to the general public.
To see the complete schedule, click HERE!
How can I get to the Festival
The festival will be held at Emerson College, in downtown Boston, in select campus buildings. Emerson is readily accessible via MBTA public transportation:
Green Line: 3 minute walk from Boylston Street Station
Orange Line: 4 minute walk from Chinatown Station
Red Line: 7 minute walk from Park Street Station
For more information on directions and modes of transportation, please visit Emerson’s website.
All Festival attendees must first check in at the Bordy Theater in the Union Bank Building before attending any Festival events. Entry to all buildings and events requires a badge and you will not be allowed entrance without it. Tickets to the Team Slam Finals and/or Individual Slam Finals will be included with your badge.
The only exception to this requirement is if you are solely attending the Team Slam Finals or Individual Slam Finals; you may proceed directly to the Semel Theater in the Tufte Building.
Where can I park?
The Boston Common Garage (Propark) is a paid parking garage located under the Boston Commons and is a 5 minute walk to Emerson.
Address: 0 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02116
There is limited 2 hour paid street parking around Emerson College by the Boston Commons.
For more information on parking options and modes of transportation, please visit Emerson’s website.
What are the accessibility specifications of the festival locations?
Our venues at Emerson College will be physically accessible. Elevators are located in each building, and slam events will be supplied with microphones and proper tech. For more information on GrubStreet for First Breath, click HERE. More information is to come with regards to Downtown Boston venue accessibility. Certain events will have ASL interpreters. If you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact [email protected].