Featuring Acclaimed Regional, National and International Spoken Word Artists December 11 – 14
The Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department is proud to present the 2nd Annual Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival, an enriching and entertaining showcase of the best local, national and international spoken word artists and writers. This four-day event, December 11-14, takes place at three of Pompano Beach’s cultural arts venues – Bailey Contemporary Arts, Historic Ali Cultural Arts and Pompano Beach Cultural Center. Visit ccpompano.org for a full schedule of events and $10 daily and $25 all-access passes.
“Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival is a dynamic celebration of this art form, providing a platform for some of the most talented poets in the world to share their inner most thoughts in an engaging, provocative and inspiring showcase,” said Phyllis Korab, Cultural Affairs Director. “Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to explore their own aspirations for self-expression through workshops and other events.”
Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival serves the community through educational, theatrical and literary performances. All festival activities and events are open to the community and surrounding areas. The festival features writing workshops, community service opportunities, local business support, a beach party, food trucks, vendors and more. In its second year, the objectives remain the same — to pay homage to poetry, spoken word, literacy, community engagement and to celebrate the arts.
Event Coordinator Sharonda ‘Eccentrich’ Richardson is the 14th ranked female poet in the world, an honor she received during the Women of the World Poetry Slam. ‘Eccentrich’ was born and raised in Pompano Beach, is the winner of a Pompano Beach Cultural Arts Award recognizing out-standing creativity and 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.
Returning to the event is last year’s winner, Yaw, a Ghanaian artist residing in Los Angeles. As writer, educator and author of the poetry collection: Unveiling the Trauma, Yaw is an activist and advocate who connects to his audience through poetic storytelling on topics related to identity, family and immigration. He is the 2011 National Collegiate Speech and Debate Runner-Up in Poetry Interpretation, 2017 Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, 2018 Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, 2018 Exit 36 Poetry Festival Champion and a 2018 National Poetry Slam Runner-Up. Yaw is currently a Professor and Director of Speech and Debate at Concordia University Irvine.
Also participating during the festival will be acclaimed poets Boris “Bluz” Rogers and Dasan Ahanu, who will be presenting artists talks be-fore the bouts. Rogers won an Emmy for his performance work with NASCAR: TODAY and has shared the stage with several distinguished poets including Taylor Mali, Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Gil Scott Heron and he has opened for many national recording artist such as Outkast, Amel Larrieux, Yung Jeezy, Little Brother, Pink Floyd, Last Poets, D’Angelo, John Legend, Soulganic, Del La Sol, KRS ONE and more.
Ahanu is a public speaker, community organizer, workshop facilitator, poet, spoken word artist, educator, songwriter, author, emcee, and loyal Hip Hop head born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dasan was awarded a 2015-2016 Nasir Jones Fellowship with the Hip Hop Archive at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African Ameri-can Research. His work has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) where he is noted for his appearances on “News and Notes with Ed Gordon” and “State of Things with Frank Stasio.” He has been showcased on NBC 17, featured on the third season of “Lexus Verses and Flow” aired on TV One, and in a documentary entitled, “Poet Son” that aired on WUNC-TV as a part of the North Carolina Visions film series.
About the City of Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department
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, Historical Ali Cultural Arts, Bailey Contemporary Arts, Pompano Beach Amphitheater, and the Blanche Ely House. 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.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday December 11, 2019 – Historic Ali Cultural Arts Hosted by John Kelly
- Happy hour & Courtyard Mixer – 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Artist Talk – 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Dassan)
- Prelim Poetry Bout – 7 p.m. to 9pm (Courtyard)
- Poetry in the Cell Open Mic – 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday December 12, 2019 – Bailey Contemporary Arts Hosted by Ed Mabrey
- Workshop – 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (West Gallery)
- Happy Hour & Gallery Party – 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Artist Talk – 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Boris “Bluz” Rodgers)
- Prelim Poetry Bout 7p.m. to 9 p.m. (East Gallery)
- Compliment Challenge by the Old Town Fountain; or inside BaCA if the weather is inclement– 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday December 13, 2019 — Pompano Beach Cultural Center Hosted by Eccentrich
- Workshop – 4 p.m. To 5 p.m. (Digital Media Center)
- Happy Hour & Mixer – 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Prelim Poetry Bout – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Theater)
- Cypher – 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday December 14, 2019
Community Beach Party & Picnic – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Pavilion One)
Final Stage – 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Pompano Beach Cultural Center – theater)
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