DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam Creates an Outlet for Artistic Expression
Calling all poets and poetry lovers. Whether you are a new poet to spoken word or an expert at open mic, all skill levels are welcome to perform at DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam.
This one-of-a-kind event designed for artistic expression will take place at Artsville, a non-profit organization and a home for community arts on May 4 at 5 p.m.
Since 2018, DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam has been a notable event for individuals to network and express themselves.
“Poetry is really a creative outlet, a way of self-expression,” said Kimberly Bolden, artistically known as DuWaup, the founder and executive producer of DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam.
Unlike other artists, Bolden discovered her passion for poetry later in life. She realized her love for poetry in her late 20s when she started to attend open mic events.
However, she explained that being around the art form of poetry and different artists inspired her to focus on writing and performing.
Since then, Bolden has performed a variety of spoken word pieces and written a book of poetry called “Sincerely DuWaup” accompanied by “Sincerely DuWaup the Soundtrack” and so much more.
Before founding the poetry slam event, Bolden provided a platform for artists, such as an open mic night or safe space to share artistic thoughts, for over a decade.
Eventually, Bolden decided it was time for a new way to expand and reach out to more artists who would also like to gather and grow awareness about the art form of poetry.
“So, one of the things that really made me say I want to do a poetry slam is because I realized that poetry slam – those two words really resonate with people more so than open mic or artist showcase,” said Bolden.
As a result, DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam was born.
“It’s a friendly competition, but make no mistake the poets come to win,” according to the Cincinnati Poetry Slam.
The poetry slam will have three rounds. For each round, up to 16 poets can compete. The top 8 poets from the first round will advance to the second round. The top four poets of the second round will advance to the third round.
The top four winners will be announced during the third round and receive cash prizes! The first place receives $500, second place receives $125, third place receives $75, and fourth place receives a $35 voucher for a waiver to register for a future slam.
There will be five judges present for each round of the evening. All three rounds will consist of the same five judges. Bolden explained that judges scoring the competition can range from artists in the community to educators, and they are all chosen with insightful consideration.
“We just try to make sure that we mix it up, but the main point of the choosing of the judges is that we make sure we have people who are professional, who are fair, and who can be as non-biased as a human being can possibly be,” she said.
If you are interested in attending or competing in DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam, click here for more information.
