VOLTAGE! FAQs

WHAT IS VOLTAGE?
A spoken word competition for teens only, ages 19-13.

WHO COORDINATES VOLTAGE?
Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

WHO CAN ENTER?
Any teenager within the Southeastern Wisconsin area.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?
A position on Wisconsin's 2010 teen poetry team,
which will compete (all expenses paid) at a national contest in Los Angeles next summer.

HOW DO I WIN?
Contestants will read, recite or perform two original poems.  
A panel of judges will assign scores based on content AND delivery.  

Are there any rules?
Yes, just a few:

  • All works must have been written by you;
  • Costumes, instrumental music and props are not allowed;
  • All pieces cannot be longer than three minutes in length; and
  • No vulgarity

OKAY, HOW DO I ENTER?!?
Contestants must sign-in between 5:30 pm and 6:15 p.m.  
There is no cost to enter

VOLTAGE!
TEEN SLAM
2009-2010

October 16
Congrats!
Jordan Gaines of Dominican HS
Adelajeh Rashad of Bradley Tech HS

November 20
Congrats!
Nakila Robinson of  HS of the Arts
Ashley Street of HS of the Arts
Genesis of HS of the Arts

December 18
Congrats!
Marcelles Brown of HS of the Arts
Davian Alston of HS of the Arts

January 15
Congrats!
Alexis Humphries of HS of the Arts
Emmitt Williams of Reagan HS

February 19
STATE FINALS: February 26

First and Second place performers from each
monthly slam will advance to the State Finals to
compete for the Wisconsin Brave New Voices team!
___________________________________

Centennial Hall
of Milwaukee Public Library
733 N. Eighth Street
(MCTS buses #10, 12, 23, 30, 31, 80, 137 & 143)

6:00 - 8:30 pm
FREE & Open to the Public


6:00 Sign up begins
(only 10 teens each month)

6:30 Slam
(two rounds)

7:30 Open Mic
(including a guest performance by
national and local spoken word artists)
DO YOU HAVE IDEAS ON FIRE?
Then ... we might just be looking for you!  We're launching our 4th Annual search
for the illest, coldest, hypest, realest, smoothest,
hottest words from Milwaukee teens!  
Monthly slam competitions will take place monthly from September to February.  Top performers will represent at
the
2010 Brave New Voices International Teen Spoken Word Competition & Festival in Los Angeles!
Voltage! Open mic and Slam series is a pre-collegiate
program of the University of Wisconsin's Office of
Multicultural Arts Initiatives, home of the First Wave Urban
Arts Scholarship Program.  Click
here for more information!
For the complete calendar of events for the Voltage! Teen Series
CLICK HERE