That’s right, our JFA Slam is BACK!

JAYU Slams is where art meets truth, a space for youth poets to drop bars, share stories, and build community through the power of poetry. Every year, 10 artists light up the stage with their words that challenge, inspire, and remind us why poetry matters.

10 Poets will take the stage to share their voices and compete for the title of Slam Champ with a $350 first-place prize up for grabs and $75 for every poet walking away, no matter where they place. Bringing the heat back to the mic will be last year’s Champ, Apollo the Child.

Come cheer, snap, and vibe with us —this is poetry, passion, and purpose all in one night.

FEATURED POET
Khaleefa “Apollo the Child” Hamdan is a spoken word poet, hip hop artist, and former radio host from Ottawa. He’s known for using his art to uplift and empower young people, as a former co-director of the Urban Legends Poetry Collective and creator of the Youth Speak program with the Ottawa Public Library. His cinepoem “My Hero Drives a Cab” was featured on Button Poetry, and he’s been part of CBC’s poetry documentary In Their Words. He’s represented Ottawa on nine national stages, and he’s also one half of the hip hop funk duo Funky Colours.

AGENDA

Doors Open 7:00pm
Opening Remarks 7:30pm
Event Concludes 10:00pm

JAYU is committed to hosting an inclusive and accessible event for everyone. When registering, please mention if you require any accommodations or have any dietary allergies that can impact your time in our space. Light refreshments will be available.

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners and funders. We gratefully acknowledge the Government of Canada through Canadian Heritage’s Canadian Arts Presentation Fund and the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program Events Stream for supporting JAYU’s Annual Festival of the Arts.

We’re so grateful to all our supporters for helping us bring community, creativity, and art to life!

About JAYU

JAYU is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-deserving youth (ages 16-30) from the GTA. Through both year-round and festival programming, we support and elevate young, emerging artists by offering them professional development opportunities and platforms to showcase their work.

About JAYU Festival of the Arts (JFA)

JAYU Festival of the Arts (JFA) is a five-day celebration of creative expression informed by human rights, equity and social justice. Youth-produced and youth-led, creatives from across the GTA share their art with community and ignite meaningful conversations.