Fountain City Slam

The Fountain City Slam is open to youth of all backgrounds as a safe house to use poetry as a means of self expression and exploration.  We believe that writing empowers greater understanding of self and others and thereby encourages compassion and empathy in our society. Students have experienced the benefits of this auxiliary arts education in their intellectual, personal, and social development.   We provide space and spirit for fellowship among  young writers across the Columbus, Georgia area. 

Through weekly workshops, poetry slams, national/regional/local performance opportunities, and community service, we’re watching the future take shape one word at a time. The Fountain City Slam aims to provide the highest caliber of artistic education, support, and community for  young writers and readers in the tri-city area. We strive to ensure that literature maintains its proper prominence in the culture, and that these young artists achieve their fullest potential as artists and human beings. 

Students have experienced the benefits of this free auxiliary arts education in their intellectual, personal, and social development since our inception in 2011. 

Yearly, these young people have recieved local, regional, and national accolades for their thought provoking original work. We have been awarded The Youth Speaks National Leadership Grant for the work these young people have been doing in the Columbus area. For three years, we have received the designation of “Best of Festival” at The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival. The 2016 Team were also among a select few youths from across the nation chosen to perform and participate at the ROOTS Weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee at the Highlander Research and Education Center. The team was also invited by the City of Atlanta - Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs to perform at their ELEVATE: Summer performance series. The Fountain City Slam Team has been featured as performers for Black Art In America Gallery, Keep Columbus Beautiful Commission, Columbus State University, Chattahoochee Writer’s Conference, and The Greater Columbus GA "Partners in Education" Program to name a few. The Fountain City Teen Poetry Slam was also a recipient of The Eco Latino Courier Community Service Award in recognition of our efforts.

Our after school writing workshop offerings have expanded this year, having conducted monthly and bi-monthly workshops at Columbus High School, G.W. Carver High School, Rainey McCullers School of the Arts, Hardaway High School, and Eddy Middle School. 

We also run a monthly family-friendly open mic at Fountain City Coffee in downtown Columbus that encourages youth to express themselves through the creative arts. We have also volunteered our talents and time with the Muscogee County Juvenile Drug Court and Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc.  The response has been so great that we’ve been publishing at least 20 area students each year in our anthology, a collection and celebration of the talented young people from all around Columbus – their poetry, artwork, and short stories.