Every year, DewMore Baltimore (a program of the The Black Arts District) hosts a FREE poetry slam for youth ages 13-19 who reside in Baltimore City and surrounding counties. During this slam, on Wednesday, February 25th, 2026, hand-picked judges will award the top five scoring youth poets with the honor of representing Baltimore City in the INTERNATIONAL youth poetry festival, Brave New Voices AND win $1,000 in prizes!

The youth who participate in this slam will also be invited to be apart of weekly workshops, paid performance opportunities, and a greater connection to the local and national spoken word scene. Hosted by D.C's 2015 Youth Poet Laureate, MalPractice, this slam will take place at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse (3128 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore MD 21218). Featuring his work and igniting the stage will be 2024 WORLD Poetry Slam Winner, Chev! We will also have local youth DJ, DJ Brae!

We invite you to witness the greatness of youth spoken word artists and support the arts community through attendance, support, sharing, and any donations. Youth residing in the Baltimore area can submit for the slam using this link: https://forms.gle/ccWyYRH8M69HPZ98A.

We can't wait to see you there!