It’s poetry from the heart from the some of the city’s best young poets.
The fifth annual Victorious Voices poetry slam takes place at the Victoria Events Center next week (April 7 to 9).
Eight teams comprised of high school students from the lower Island will compete for the Victorious Voices title. They have three minutes to perform original group works and individual poems.
“It’ll blow you away,” said Victorious Voices director Jeremy Loveday. “These youth speak their truth powerfully. The best way to celebrate their voices is to come and listen, really listen.”
Semi-finals begin at 7 p.m. on April 7, where the eight teams will be cut to four.
Audience members are invited to boo the judges and cheer wildly throughout the night. They will also be asked to judge the competitors on a scale of 1-10.
There will also be an alumni showcase on April 8 at Solstice Cafe, featuring some of Victoria’s most talented young spoken word artists. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.
Victorious Voices celebrates the youth voice and the youth experience.
“It is stunning,” said Loveday. “The way they speak from their hearts. Us adults, we’re just lucky they let us come and listen”
The event will feature DJ Big Tiny Smalls, an opening poem by Victoria youth poet laureate Morgan Purvis and celebrity judge Mayor Dean Fortin.