Entries now open for WE SPEAK Poetry Slam competition — with categories for a range of ages

Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) invites poets of all ages from across the Puget Sound region to step forward and share their voices through WE SPEAK, an annual celebration of spoken word poetry and storytelling.

Whether you’re a seasoned artist or trying spoken word for the first time, ECA invites you to submit video samples of an original performance that speaks to what matters most to you. Your passions, your experiences, your questions, your truth. No set theme. No limits. Just your story, in your words. 

Finalists will be selected to perform their original work live on the ECA stage during WE SPEAK Friday, May 1, 2026 — and will receive special recognition for their artistic contributions through scholarship awards.

How to Enter the Youth Poetry Slam Competition

1. Participants must be at least 13 years old and live in the Puget Sound region. Finalists will be selected from three age groups: Middle School, High School and Adult (ages 18-plus  from students to seniors; all are welcome). 
2. Create a video recording of one to two spoken-word pieces. The entire video should be 10 minutes or under.
3. Get creative! You may use costumes, props, music and visual aids to share your spoken word performance. Please keep in mind, if you are a finalist, the performance elements in your video clip need to match the final performance.
4. We encourage applicants to submit their work in the language that feels most authentic to them, including American Sign Language (ASL). If doing so, please provide a written English translation/description to the best of your ability. 
5. Fill out and submit this application form.
6. Share the link to your video recording in the application or upload it here.
7. The submission deadline is March 9, 2026. 

Check out the WE SPEAK Poetry Resource Guide for more information.

Spoken word is a term that applies to any type of poetry intended to be performed aloud. Spoken word has roots in traditions of oral performance that go back to times before the written word. It is an oral art that focuses on the quality of sound structure and patterns that make it compelling to the listener, often using rhyme, repetition, different voice inflections and word play. It can contain elements of poetry, rap, hip-hop, storytelling, theater, dance and music.

Video spoken word submissions will be evaluated on:

• The poems’ relevance to the 2026 themes and prompt.
• Creativity and originality.
• Rhythm and pacing.
• Vocal inflection.
• Coherence of form and structure.
• Clarity of imagery and language.

The 2026 Youth Poetry Slam Competition winner will be chosen based on their video submission and receive scholarship awards.

All three finalists will perform their work live on the ECA Stage, during WE SPEAK, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1.

Finalists will participate in a workshop at ECA in the weeks before the performance with a local poet mentor.

Contact Diana@ec4arts.org if you have any questions about the competition or submission process.

Learn more on this ECA webpage.