Cleveland Host’s International Poetry Slam Event @ Cleveland State University

Sept. 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Cleveland, Ohio, September 23, 2011 – Experience talented, verbally imaginative, ethnically diverse artists as Cleveland hosts the Individual World Poetry Slam (iWPS).  This four-day free-speech event, October 12-15, 2011 will be held at Cleveland State University (CSU) where an intense poetic battle is for sure to take place.

Seventy-two contenders will hail from every major North American city, including but not limited, to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Vancouver and beyond to compete in two evenings of preliminary bouts in CSU’s Main Classroom building; culminating in a clash of the top twelve contenders on the Final’s stage @ CSU’s Waetjen Auditorium on Saturday.  In addition to the competition, this annual event will bring world acclaimed feature performers, poetry, performance workshops, specialty slams & readings and open mics for teens and adults.

“In larger metropolitan cities such as Chicago and New York, performance poetry is an integral part of the arts scene.  This is the only event of its kind to come to Cleveland – EVER! This event will expose Cleveland and its surrounding areas to the highest caliber of performance poetry” says Thomas Parrish, National Poetry Slam Competitor & Host City Chair.

Cuyahoga Community College’s “Tri-C Presents” co-sponsors the iWPS event to bring cultural enrichment to the community as part of the college’s vision.  Poetry events promote adult and youth literacy; creativity and interest in the arts as a whole.  Hundreds are expected as participants & spectators to experience wordsmiths who have traveled to compete in iWPS for a chance to win the coveted title of Individual World Poetry Slam Champion at the above locations as well as surrounding venues in downtown Cleveland.

Individual event ticket prices will range from $5 - $25 for individual events and an All-Access/All Weekend Pass will be available at an affordable & accessible price.

For more information visit iwps.poetryslam.com.

Poetry Slam, Inc , (Psi) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is the administrative body charged with overseeing the international coalition of poetry slams.