Exit 36
The Ninth Annual Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival is a three-day poetry festival that serves the community through educational, theatrical, and literary performances. The festival will nurture, support, and showcase regional, national, and international writers, facilitators, and artists from all over the country to honor the creative genius of our own cultural arts pioneers. The festival includes writing workshops, artists' talks, and the Slam Poetry competition. In its seventh year, the Exit 36 objectives remain the same -- to pay homage to poetry, spoken word, literacy, community engagement, and to celebrate the arts. The 3-day event attracts the premier spoken word artists in the country and will take place December 10 - 12, 2026 at the City’s cultural venues.
Tickets
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Get your tickets here.
Rules
Total Competing Poets: 40
Poems Needed to Win: 6 (including a 2-minute poem)
Competition Stages: Preliminaries, Semi-Finals, and Final Stage
No Poem Repeats: Poets must perform a new poem each round.
Venues: Pompano Beach Cultural Center 50 W Atlantic Blvd. Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Ali Cultural Arts Center & Black Box 353 MLK Blvd. Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Preliminary Rounds
Each poet will compete in one of four micro-bouts per night.
Poets will perform one original poem per preliminary round.
Bout Draw will be done virtually through randomizer software. Poets can log onto zoom to watch the draw live, it will be recorded and emailed out only.
No poet will be eliminated in prelims.
No poem repeats are allowed throughout the competition.
Ranking System
Poets are ranked 1-10 in their micro-bout based on their scores.
If there is a tie, poets will share the rank, and the next poet will receive an adjusted rank.
Example: If two poets tie for 3rd place, the ranking will be 1,2,3,3,5,6…
Highest Score Prize: The poet with the highest score of the night wins $100 and the 2nd highest score will receive $75.
In the event of a tie, poets can either split the prize or participate in a one-minute poem-off decided by audience noise.
Advancing to Semi-Finals
The Top 20 poets with the highest cumulative scores from both days advance to Semi-Finals.
Poets ranked 21st and 22nd will open for Semi-Finals, one in each bout.
Semi-Finals
The Top 20 poets compete in two bouts of 10 poets each.
The bout will be head-to-head battles.
The winners of each head-to-head matchup will move on to final stage
Semi-Finals will take place at venue from 12pm to 2pm.
Performance Rules:
Poets will perform 2-minute poems.
Poets will draw numbers 1-10 to determine matchups (1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, etc.).
Judging Method: Instead of scores, judges will vote by selecting a color assigned to each poet.
2 minute hard stop
Advancing to Finals:
The Top 10 poets move on to Final Stage.
The remaining poets will draw to determine which will be the 2 poets who will sac on final stage.
Relative strength will be used when necessary to determine ranking
Final Stage:
Round 1: 10 poets compete.
Round 2: Top 7 poets advance.
Round 3 (Final Round): Top 4 poets compete
Judging & Scoring:
5 Judges
Rounds 1 & 2 are cumulative
Round 3 is Clean Slate
Tiebreakers:
Ties will be broken by the highest cumulative score of all 5 scores
If there is still a tie after cumulative score poets must perform a 1-minute poem slam off to decide who advances.
The final round tie will be decided by an up to 3 minute 20 second one-poem slam-off (poets may use a repeat poem only for the tiebreaker).
Protests:
Any concerns regarding scores must be raised immediately after the bout before score sheets are signed.
Once signed, no protests will be accepted.
Performance Rules:
No props allowed.
No reading of poems on Final Stage (ADA exceptions apply).
No interaction with audience including but not limited to dancing to stage. Bout Management has discretion to decided what is or is not engagement, as well as to start poet's time.
Time Limits:
Preliminaries: 3 minutes + 10-second grace period.
Semi-Finals (2-minute round): 2 minutes hard stop.
Final Stage: 3 minutes + 20-second grace period.
Penalty: 0.5 points deducted for every 10 seconds over time.
No Poem Repeats: Poets must perform a new poem in every round except for a final round tiebreaker.
Judging:
Each bout will have five (5) judges.
At least three (3) judges will be from a pre-selected panel.
Prizes
- 1st Place: $5,000
- 2nd Place: $2,500
- 3rd Place: $1,500
4th Place: $500
Highest Score Prize: $100 highest score and $75 second highest score of the night
Ties: Prize money will be split equally
Champion will receive an all-expense paid cultural exchange trip to Togo, Africa in November 2027! If poets choose to share first place and split the prize money, only the poet with the highest cumulative score will receive the trip.
Final Notes
- Scoring Accuracy: Bout managers and organizers will take the necessary time to ensure accurate scores.
- Respect the Process: Poets should allow time for calculations and refrain from rushing the scoring process. Scoring will be emailed only and posted to Sharonda “Eccentrich” Richardson's Facebook page, Exit 36 Instagram Page, and the next day posted on the official Google festival website
Event Schedule
Day 1 - Thursday, December 10 │ Ali Cultural Arts Center & The Hive Black Box
- Mandatory Orientation: 4pm – 5:00pm
Kompa Dance Workshop | 5:45 – 7:00 PM | Ali Courtyard
Ease into the festival with movement, music, and culture. This beginner-friendly Kompa workshop introduces participants to the rich traditions of Haiti's signature dance while encouraging connection, confidence, and community. Whether you're stepping onto the dance floor for the first time or brushing up on your moves, this energetic session is designed to bring people together through music and movement
- Competition Prelims | 7:30 – 9:45 PM | Ali Arts Center & The Hive
The competition officially begins as 40 of the world's best poets take the stage for the preliminary rounds of the Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival. Across two venues, artists deliver powerful original work as they compete for a coveted spot in the next round. Expect unforgettable performances, fierce competition, and the electric energy that has made Exit 36 one of the country's premier slam poetry festivals.
- Poetry'Oke Open Mic | 10:00 – 11:00 PM | Ali Arts Center
A fan-favorite returns! Poetry'Oke invites poets to perform over a live instrumental. Choose the perfect beat or leave it to the DJ for a surprise musical twist. Whether it's hip-hop, soul, Afrobeat, jazz, or R&B, each performance becomes a unique collaboration between poet and music. With no scores or competition, Poetry'Oke is all about creativity, spontaneity, and celebrating the joy of performance.
- Kickback: Story Slam | 11:30 – 2am | Bojo’s Seafood Kitchen
After the official festivities, the poets' only after-hours experience begins. Kickback: Story Slam invites competing poets to step outside the world of poetry and into the art of storytelling. Participants will share engaging, true stories in response to a featured prompt, showcasing humor, vulnerability, and unforgettable life experiences. Judges' scores will be in effect. One storyteller will walk away with bragging rights, a cash prize, and perhaps the best story of the weekend. It's relaxed, unpredictable, and the perfect way for artists to connect beyond the competition.
Day 2 – Friday December 11 │Ali Cultural Arts Center & The Hive Black Box
- Beach Party | 10:30am – 2pm | Pavilion #3
Salsa on the Beach | 11:00am - 12:00am | Pavilion #3Workshop: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Ali Cultural Arts Center)
Start your day with rhythm, movement, and ocean views at Salsa on the Beach. Led by a professional dance instructor, this interactive workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of salsa while celebrating the vibrant music and culture that help shape South Florida. Whether you're stepping onto the dance floor for the first time or looking to refine your technique, this fun and welcoming experience is designed for all skill levels. Bring your dancing shoes, connect with fellow festival-goers, and enjoy a memorable morning of music, movement, and community by the sea.
- Workshop | 5:30 – 7:00 PM | The Hive
- Workshop | 5:30 – 7:00 PM | Ali Arts Center
- Competition Prelims | 7:30 – 9:45 PM | Ali Arts Center & The Hive
The competition continues with the last day of prelims to determine which top 20 poets advance to the semi-finals. Across two venues, expect unforgettable performances, fierce competition, and the electric energy that has made Exit 36 one of the country's premier slam poetry festivals.
- Exit 36 After Dark | 10:00 – 11:00 PM | Ali Courtyard
A late-night culture lounge where poetry, music, and nightlife collide. Poets freestyle over live DJ beats while featured artists jump in, creating a fluid mix of Afrobeat, R&B, hip-hop, and spoken word. This is not a competition or open mic, it's a curated space to sip cocktails, connect, and vibe with artists and community in an elevated, electric atmosphere. Come for the sound, stay for the culture.
Kickback: Since You Here Anyway Slam | 11:30 – 2am | Bojo’s Seafood Kitchen
When the official schedule ends, the real showdown begins. Since You Here Anyway Slam is Exit 36's exclusive after-hours, underground poetry competition where participating poets put their own money on the line for a winner-take-all cash prize. In this fast-paced, head-to-head format, every round is do-or-die as poets battle for bragging rights, the entire prize pool, and an automatic invitation to compete in next year's Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival. Raw, intimate, and unpredictable, this late-night event is where competitive fire meets festival camaraderie, and anything can happen.
Day 3 – Saturday December 12 │Pompano Beach Cultural Center
- Semi-Finals: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Pompano Beach Cultural Center
Start your day at the farmer’s market, then stick around for an afternoon of electrifying poetry! Watch as our top 20 poets go head-to-head in a high-energy showdown to earn their spot on the Final Stage.
- Finals: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Pompano Beach Cultural Center
The Top 10 Poets Battle It Out! An unforgettable night of poetry, food trucks, music, a full bar, and nothing but good vibes. Don’t miss this electrifying finale where words, rhythm, and performance collide!
- After Party | 10:00 – 12:00 AM | Pompano Beach Cultural Center
