Voices of Youth Will Shine at the 18th Annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam

ATLANTA - June 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Youth Speaks presents the 18th Annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival which heads to the Cultural Mecca of the South, July 15-18, 2015. Over six hundred young poets and spoken word artists, aged 13-19, will convene in Atlanta, representing 60 cities and organizations from around the world.  Earlier featured as a hit HBO series (http://www.hbo.com/russell-simmons-presents-brave-new-voices?cpmid=ABC774), Brave New Voices (BNV) will spotlight creative and impassioned teenagers hitting the stage for electrifying performances of spoken word full of power and purpose.

The pulse of Brave New Voices is an Olympic-style poetry slam competition showcasing the creative genius of young artists, poets, educators and emerging world changers from around the globe. From the quarter-finals to the grand slam, this artistic expression of free speech is filled with resounding voices that will ignite a fire in the hearts and minds of people and foster community dialogue for social justice and community solidarity. In addition to the slam competition, BNV participants will have the opportunity to attend world-class workshops led by renowned poets and writers, complete various youth development programs, and develop skills to help them become America's leaders of tomorrow.

During the four-day festival, 70 events will take place on the campus of Emory University as well as at various community-based theaters and concert halls and culminate at the Woodruff Arts Center, Symphony Hall in Atlanta. The Festival schedule, subject to updates, is as follows:

Opening Ceremonies:  July 15, 2015, 6 p.m.

Location: Glenn Memorial Church

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BNV National Youth Town Hall: July 16, 2015, 10 a.m.-Noon

Location: Emory University, Calloway and Whitehall

Writing Workshops: July 16, 2015, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Location: Emory University, Calloway and Whitehall

Queeriosity: July 16, 2015, 8 p.m.

Location:  TBD

BNV Poetry Slam Quarter Finals: July 17, 2015, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

8 Venue Locations: (TBD)

BNV Poetry Slam Semi Finals: July 17, 2015, 8 p.m.-10 p.m.

Location:  The Fox Theater, 660 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

Life is Living: July 18, 2015, 12 p.m.- 3 p.m.

Location: Truly Living Well Gardens 75 Hillard Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30312

BNV Grand Slam Finals: July 18, 2015, 8 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Location:  Woodruff Arts Center, Symphony Hall

The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, Youth Speaks’ annual celebration of teen poets, spoken word artists and poetry organizations is the only event of its kind the United States. Since its inception in 1997, BNV has grown as a cornerstone of Youth Speaks’ programming and represents youth from across the United States, Canada, Africa, the Polynesian Islands, and Europe, making it the largest and most diverse ongoing spoken word event in the world.

The 2015 Brave New Voices Festival is made possible through the generous support of the Ford Foundation, The Surdna Foundation, Go Pro, The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts and through the generosity of individuals who believe that the voices of young people matter.

For more information on the 18^th Annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, visit http://youthspeaks.org/bravenewvoices/, follow @bravenewvoices (https://twitter.com/bravenewvoices) on Twitter, and like “Youth Speaks Brave New Voices (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-Speaks-Brave-New-Voices/46370320853)” on Facebook.

About Youth Speaks:

Founded in 1996, Youth Speaks (http://youthspeaks.org/) is one of the world’s leading presenters of Spoken Word performance, education, and youth development programs.  Youth Speaks has long championed a national and increasingly global movement of young people stepping proudly onto stages, declaring themselves present.