Registration opens for Slam championship

Auditions are set to begin for the First Citizens National Poetry Slam (FCNPS) on February 17.

Following a return to its traditional in-person format last year, the annual spoken word championship – now in its 12th edition – will again have its grand finale during the NGC Bocas Lit Fest being held April 25-28.

This year’s theme, Bocas del Dragon, will unfold throughout the audition, semi-final, and final stages of the Slam, a media release said. The announcement was made on the FCNPS social media on January 19.

Poets who want to participate in the championship can register online to audition before a live judging panel at National Library and Information System Authority (Nalis) locations across Trinidad and Tobago. The auditions will be broadcast live on the National Poetry Slam's Facebook page over three competition days.

Thirty poets will then move on to the second stage of the lyrical tournament. Kyle Hernandez, the reigning 2023 champion will defend his title as he automatically advances to the finals, aiming for an encore.

In the release Hernandez expressed his encouragement for emerging poets to strive for the top prize. He added, however, that “for anyone eyeing the title, they’ll need to ‘out blood, sweat, and tears’ me.”

CEO of the Bocas Lit Fest Jean-Claude Cournand said, “We are dedicated to preserving the rich legacy of spoken word poetry through the annual First Citizens National Poetry Slam, and every year effort goes into crafting a unique and relevant Slam experience that resonates with the current creative landscape.”

On this year’s theme, Cournand said organisers took the opportunity to expand on the local theme of Bocas del Dragon, with the grand finals to be held at Queen’s Hall, St Ann's.

The semifinals take place on March 23-24 at the Central Bank Auditorium, Port of Spain, and the Grand Slam on April 28.

Audition dates

February 17 –National Library, San Fernando, 10 am-1 pm

February 18 –National Library, 23 Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, 10 am-4 pm

February 25 – Scarborough Public Library, Garden Side Street, Scarborough, 10 am-4 pm

For more info and to register: www.bocaslitfest.com/youth/poetry-slam/ and follow @nationalslamtt on FB, IG and X (formerly known as Twitter)