The vibrant convergence of poetic expression, civic engagement, and authentic voice takes center stage at the 16th Annual Hampton Roads Youth Poetry Festival. This celebrated event series, a staple in Hampton Roads’ cultural landscape, has evolved into a dynamic platform that empowers young poets to amplify their voices, foster social change, and showcase their boundless creativity.
During this FREE season finale, Hampton Roads teens will use poetry in their own re-interpretations of local oral history through the lens of experiences with current events.
Teens With a Purpose (TWP) believes that everyone has a story to tell. We are looking for committed, opinionated teenagers with an interest in performance poetry, theatre, songwriting, debate, rap or just being heard. Together students will read, write, critically analyze, bond and can perform on premier stages throughout our region.
The Hear This Youth Poetry Festival is more than a local event; it’s part of a national network of youth literary arts and creative youth development organizations, including Urban Word, New York; Words Beats & Life, Washington DC; DewMore, Baltimore; Southern Word, Tennessee; & Youth Speaks San Francisco with alumni including Amanda Gorman, the Poet for President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2020. HRYP is a unique opportunity for students 13-19 years of age that puts young people at the center of their learning experiences as a way to engage them in their own education, through performance poetry.
The festival also provides young poets who are civically engaged with the opportunity to via for the prestigious Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) title. This title honors their poetic prowess + propels them to compete in the Eastern Regionals and potentially, the National YPL Competition. Youth Poet Laureate identifies youth writers + leaders who are committed to civic/community engagement, poetry & performance, leadership + education across Hampton Roads & Virginia.
