More Than A Literary Festival

First Citizens National Poetry Slam

The First Citizens National poetry Slam

The Grand Slam

Enter The Dragon's Mouth

34 poets have advanced to the semifinal rounds of the 2024 First Citizens National Poetry Slam, following intense in-person auditions in San Fernando, Port of Spain, and Tobago. Nearly 100 hopefuls delivered their verses before a distinguished judging panel. This year’s audition judges included Richard “Chromatics” Rajkumar, Patti-Anne Ali, Victor Edwards, Evelyn Caesar Munroe, and head judge Arielle M. John.

The poets will compete for the chance to perform at the Grand Slam finals on Sunday 28 April, as the First Citizens National Poetry Slam concludes the 2024 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The winner’s row takes home a total of $80,000 courtesy First Citizens, with first, second, and third places receiving $50,000, $20,000, and $10,000 respectively. Reigning Slam Champion Kyle Hernandez, who automatically advances to the Final, will face off against 14 qualifying poets from the semifinal round. 

 

finalists

Sunday 28 april 2024 

First NameLast Name
Abdul MajeedAbdal Karim
AlexandraStewart
AliciaHaynes
DanielBaptiste
DarionCunningham
DerronSandy
DershawnHernandez
GabrielleMurray
KeeronIsaac
MichaelLogie
RenaldoBriggs (WC)
RonaldoMohammed
SethSylvester
ShakiraBurton
@nationalslamtt "Say yuh bad from which part? I dare not say, Africa." Soleil has some 'chosen words', can they match up against her fellow poets vying for finalist titles? 🔥🐲 You'll have to wait to find out 🎤 Soleil will mount the stage at Central Bank Auditorium for the First Citizens National Poetry Slam on Sat 23 March, as the last in the lineup. 🗣️ Need to catch her live. Buy tickets! 🗓️ Sat 23 March - Semifinal 1 🗓️ Sun 24 March - Semifinal 2 ⏰ 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm) 📍Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ $100 per show Physical tickets are now available at Xtra Foods stores nationwide: 📍Grand Bazaar 📍Aranguez 📍Price Plaza 📍Arima 📍Sangre Grande 📍Endeavour You can also purchase tickets from Paper Based Bookshop at The Writers Centre, 14 Alcazar Street, St. Clair (cash only) Island E-tickets available via DM 📲 (NEW special available 🎫) #fcnps2024 #spokenwordpoetry #dragonsmouth #bocas2024 #spokenword #poetry #WePutYouFirst #bocastok ♬ original sound - National Poetry Slam TT
@nationalslamtt

Markus Wylie, age 10, tells the tale of Billy, who enters 'into the dragon's mouth.' The semifinalist himself enters the Central Bank Auditorium for the First Citizens National Poetry Slam Semifinals on Saturday 23 March. Still need tickets? 🗓️ Sat 23 March - Semifinal 1 🗓️ Sun 24 March - Semifinal 2 ⏰ 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm) 📍@cbtt_auditorium 🎟️ $100 per show Need tickets for the Slam show? Physical tickets are now available at @xtrafoods stores nationwide: 📍Grand Bazaar 📍Aranguez 📍Price Plaza 📍Arima 📍Sangre Grande 📍Endeavour You can also purchase tickets from Paper Based Bookshop at The Writers Centre, 14 Alcazar Street, St. Clair (cash only) Island E-tickets available via link in DM 📲 (NEW special available 🎫) #fcnps2024 #spokenwordpoetry #dragonsmouth #bocas2024 #spokenword #poetry #bocastok

♬ original sound - National Poetry Slam TT
@nationalslamtt 🫡 “They never told us that de young black male covered in an honest sweat from de toil is de wealth of dis nation, we are black oil” Sound ON 🔊to hear the full audition piece from the 2021 Slam Champ. And heed the call 🗣️ to get your ticket to see 30 semifinalists and 4 Wild Cards light up the First Citizens Nationals Poetry Slam stage on Sat 23 & Sun 24. Need tickets for the Slam show? 🗓️ Sat 23 March - Semifinals 1 🗓️ Sun 24 March - Semifinals 2 ⏰ 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm) 📍Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ $100 per show Physical tickets are now available at @xtrafoods stores nationwide: 📍Grand Bazaar 📍Aranguez 📍Price Plaza 📍Arima 📍Sangre Grande 📍Endeavour You can also purchase tickets from Paperbased Bookshop at The Writers Centre, 14 Alcazar Street, St. Clair (cash only) Visit Island E-tickets for e-tickets 📱SLAM HOTLINE: (868) 375-2155 📲 Like. Share. Comment. Repost. #fcnps2024 #spokenwordpoetry #dragonsmouth #bocas2024 #spokenword #poetry #bocastok ♬ original sound - nationalslamtt - National Poetry Slam TT

Tickets:

The finals will take place on Sunday 28 April 2024 at Queen’s Hall in St. Ann’s. Tickets are priced at $200 and can be purchased on islandetickets.com or click on the buttons below.

Physical tickets also available at Xtra Foods locations

  • Aranguez
  • Arima
  • Grand Bazaar
  • Price Plaza
  • Sangre Grande

Physical tickets also available at the Paper Based Bookshop:

  • The Writers Centre
  • 14 Alcazar Street,
  • St. Clair,
  • Port of Spain.

Cash Only

Judges

Semifinals Judges:

Audition Judges:

Evelyn Caesar Munroe

Victor Edwards

For more information, call the Slam Hotline at 375-2155 or email [email protected]

HISTORY

2023 marked the 11th edition of the National Poetry Slam which has established itself as the largest stage for Spoken Word in the Caribbean, with a TT$50,000 first place prize, the biggest cash prize for Spoken Word artists in the world.
 
In 2020 and 2021, the First Citizens National Poetry Slam was a televised event with live judging broadcast and streamed to the public for free. Closed auditions were held via Zoom, where twenty poets were chosen for the semi-final rounds airing in August of both years.
 
In 2022, all stages of the championship were accessible for public viewing, for free, and was hosted by popular personalities each year. 2023 marked the return of the annual Spoken Word championship to its traditional in-person, pre-covid schedule, leading up to the annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The Grand Slam, once again, is the high-energy closing event of the festival.
 
Over eleven years, the First Citizens National Poetry Slam has seen:
 
1167 poets auditioned (2013-2023)
348 semi-finalists (2013-2023)
128 finalists (2013-2023)
36 winners (1st – 3rd places)
TT $637,000 distributed in prize money
66 Slam events to date
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