2026 Voices Rising Youth Schedule (in progress)
In 2026 we are thrilled to begin offering events for young poets, aged 13 to 20!
These events are free to attend and participate in. if you would like to attend the workshops or compete in the youth poetry slam for a shot at becoming the Southwest Regional Champion, simply go to the registration page and sign up!
All youth events in 2026 will take place at Explora Science Center and Children's Museum (1701 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104) on Saturday, March 19th.
Saturday, March 19:
- Youth Workshop 1 - “Tell Me Something Good” 10 am
- Hosted by Hakim Bellamy, Inaugural Albuquerque Poet Laureate
- Explora!, 1701 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
- Sponsored by New Mexico Poetry Out Loud
- Youth Workshop 2 - "Words Worth Sharing" 11 am
- Hosted by Dolores Cortez
- Explora!, 1701 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
- Lunch
- Voices Rising Youth Poetry Slam 1 pm
- Host TBA
- The winner of this slam receives $100 and the title of Southwest Regional Youth Champion!
- Sponsored in part by Michael Thomas Coffee
Please Note: all events at the Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival are also open to our youth poets, except where age limits apply and we welcome our younger poets to attend the workshops, open mics and special events like the Nerd Slam and Haiku Deathmatch, and engage with poets from across the nation to discover how many opportunities exist for poets to express themselves!