Pompano Beach Arts Celebrates the 5th Annual EXIT 36 SLAM POETRY FESTIVAL

Pompano Beach Arts presents the nation's best spoken word artists at the 5th Annual Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival. Join us on December 8-10, 2022 at key cultural venues throughout the City.

In addition to nightly competitive bouts, the festival will feature artist-led workshops, poetry cyphers, artist talks, and special events including a theatre performance of County of Kings presented by Literature to Life (New York). An all-access festival pass is $30 and includes access to all poetry slams, artist talks, and theatre performance; and daily passes are also available for $10. For tickets and more details, visit www.pompanobeacharts.org.

"This 3-day poetry extravaganza is all about community and connection," said Ty Tabing, Cultural Affairs Director. "The tradition of oral poetic performances is both a historically and culturally significant art form. Spoken word is often used to convey important and enlightening messages to society, and the artists in this event are fierce and skillful orators who have much to say."

The festival will showcase spoken word artists and writers from around the US, with participants from eight different states. This year competitors include Alex the Great (Dallas, TX), Breeze (Richmond, VA), Charles Hines (Tampa, FL), Diamond Mason (San Antonio, TX), Eddie Figures (Orlando, FL), Ephraim Nehemiah (Baltimore, MD), Georgie Lee (San Antonio, TX), GiGi (Orlando, FL), HeRo (Port St. Lucie, FL), Jonkel (Miami, FL), LB (Durham, NC), Dove Dupree (Greenville, SC), Masaki Takahashi (Detroit, MI), Native Child (Detroit, MI), Queen Bee (Spartanburg, SC), Shasparay (Madison, WI), Wayne Henry (Dallas, TX), Zarro (West Palm Beach, FL), Lady Brion (Baltimore, MD), who was the second place winner at Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival in 2021, and Blacqwildflowr (Houston, TX), who was the third place winner at the same event.

The final stage of the festival will be hosted by New Orleans-based poet, writer, and teaching artist, Sha'Condria "iCon" Sibley who has appeared on the third season of TV One's Verses and Flow, and her work has been featured on many platforms including Huffington Post, For Harriet, Teen Vogue, BBC World Radio, and recording projects with Grammy Award-winning artists.

Festival goers will also have the opportunity to attend an artist talk entitled Transcending Genres: Navigating as an Artist Manager with Tavia Osbey, Co-Founder of MidCitizen Entertainment and Artist Manager to musical acts Tank and The Bangas and Alfred Banks. The final stage of the festival will be hosted by New Orleans-based poet, writer, and teaching artist, Sha'Condria "iCon" Sibley who has appeared on the third season of TV One's Verses and Flow, and her work has been featured on many platforms including Huffington Post, For Harriet, Teen Vogue, BBC World Radio, and recording projects with Grammy Award-winning artists.

This year's first prize winner will receive $2,500, the second prize winner $1,500 and the third prize winner $1,000.

"As we celebrate this milestone event, I am very proud of both the incredible performances we have experienced and the educational aspect of the festival," said Sharonda "Eccentrich" Richardson, Festival Coordinator and a nationally ranked poet. "Slam poetry is a brilliant way to discover self-identity and enhance confidence. Teaching these communication skills to our younger generation has been a tremendously gratifying aspect of this festival and a wonderful addition to the City's programming."

An additional aspect to this year's festival is a theatrical performance of County of Kings, a one man play adapted from the life of Tony Award-winning poet, spoken word artist and playwright, Lemon Andersen. This riveting onstage spoken-word memoir touches on his childhood, life on the streets, incarceration, and redemption through poetry in Brooklyn. This experience is presented in partnership with Literature to Life and features both pre and post discussions. Performance only tickets are available for $25.

Festival founder, Sharonda "Eccentrich" Richardson was born and raised in Pompano Beach, is the winner of a Pompano Beach Cultural Arts Award recognizing outstanding creativity. She created Exit 36 and now produces the festival as a consultant with the City. An accomplished spoken word artist herself, Eccentrich has graced the stages of over 45 venues from Florida to California. She is a member of the celebrated spoken word team, Dada, which finished first in the nation during the 2017 National Poetry Slam. Her poetry is also featured on Button Poetry, an acclaimed platform committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion, and fundraising for performance poetry.

The mission of the Cultural Affairs Department is to provide cultural programming that includes visual arts, digital media, music, film, theater, dance, and public art for the enjoyment and enrichment of residents and visitors to Pompano Beach, Broward County, and the greater South Florida area. The department programs and manages the City's premiere cultural arts venues including the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Ali Cultural Arts Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, and the Blanche Ely House Museum. The department also oversees the City's Public Art Program and the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts' Our Town grant awarded to the Pompano Beach Crossroads place-making arts initiative.

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