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🎤 WISE WORDS GREAT LAKES GRIOT SLAM 🎤More than $4,250 in cash prizes. One microphone. One unforgettable weekend of poetry.
The Wise Words Great Lakes Griot Slam brings together some of the strongest spoken word artists from across the country to compete in both Team and Indie divisions for cash, bragging rights, and the title of Wise Words Champion.
🏆 Indie Champion: $1,250
🏆 Indie Runner-Up: $500
🏆 Team Champion: $1,750
🏆 Team Runner-Up: $750
Whether you're a poet ready to test your work against top-tier competition or a fan who loves powerful storytelling, Wise Words is where poetry, performance, and community collide.
Expect unforgettable poems. Fierce competition. Big energy. Real stories. And a room full of people who understand that words still have the power to move us.
Think you have what it takes to take home the title? Register to compete.
Just want to witness some incredible art? Grab a ticket and join us.
📍 Chicago, Illinois
🗓 October 9–11, 2026
Three days. Two divisions. Four champions. One unforgettable weekend.
The stage is waiting.
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Chicago, Illinois, USA, United States
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