THE ARTISTS FORUM is proud to announce the winners of its inaugural SPOKEN WORD COMPETITION, featuring works that best highlight our 2021 Competition Theme – (The) Politics of Emotion.
2021 SPOKEN WORD WINNERS
BEST ENHANCED PERFORMANCE: Listen Asshole (Yellow Rage, US)
BEST EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE: Idealists (David Dephy, Georgia/US)
BEST RAW TAKE PERFORMANCE: A Trick of the Light (Allyson Kealani Pang, US)
SPOKEN WORD GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Broken Promises (Bee Guzman-Elliott, US)
Our 2021 Official Selections were created by independent spoken word poet/performers originating from 5 countries: Georgia, India, Iran, Philippines, and the United States.
Winners where announced virtually from New York City at our Juried Arts Awards Ceremony on December 28, 2021. See the accordions below to view our Juried Arts Awards Program as well as our Winners and Finalists work.
Thank you to our 2021 Spoken Word Jurists: Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Kate Rigg, Amos White V, and Baron Wright.
COMPETITION DETAILS
THE ARTISTS FORUM SPOKEN WORD COMPETITION, part of our Juried Arts programming, is open to poets seeking to gain exposure in the New York City and international arts and media market.
Its mission is to provide an accessible platform for creative writer/performers to present their best work for juried selection, increase artist communication and business contacts, provide career advancement opportunities, and publicly award the work and talents of creative artists.
Each submission, reviewed by a panel of industry professionals, is rated upon its individual merits. Finalists in each category are then judged against one another and a winner declared.
All selected finalists are eligible for a television studio or Zoom interview to be promoted on our online platforms and via THE ARTISTS FORUM: AFTV – a 20+ year arts based television program broadcasted from mid-town Manhattan in New York City.
Our Grand Prize Winner receives an exclusive mentorship from award-winning poet/author David Dephy.
THE ARTISTS FORUM INC., now in its 23rd year, is a New York City based non-profit arts service organization specializing in events, juried competitions, and media for artists. The organization provides an unparalleled platform for emerging and mid-career artists to share their stories with the world’s creative communities.
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2021 SPOKEN WORD COMPETITION – FINALISTS, JUDGES, AND WINNERS
SPOKEN WORD: Enhanced Performance
BROKEN PROMISES – 5:46 min (2020)
Writer/Director/Editor/Performer: Bee Guzman-Elliott (US)
Camera: Austin Smith (US)
SEE WEBSITE
EMMETT (TIL DE REMIX) – 6:09 min (2019)
Writer/Performer: Avery R. Young (US)
Writer/Director: Masahiro Sugano (Japan)
Producer: Anida Yoeu Ali (Cambodia)
SEE ARTIST WEBSITE / SEE PRODUCER WEBSITE
LISTEN ASSHOLE – 4:26 min (2021)
Writers/Performers: Yellow Rage (US) (Michelle Myers, Catzie Vilayphonh)
Director/Editor: Masahiro Sugano (Japan)
Producer: Anida Yoeu Ali (Cambodia)
SEE ARTIST WEBSITE / SEE PRODUCER WEBSITE
SPOKEN WORD: Experimental Performance
EXIST – 1:11 min (2021)
Writers/Performer: Bevin Mirielle Macutay (Philippines/US)
SEE WEBSITE
FAST LANE MATRIX – 3:35 min (2021)
Writers/Director: Shelby Montevirgen (US)
SEE WEBSITE
IDEALISTS – 1:24 min (2021)
Performers: Poetry Orchestra (D. Dephy & M.S. Alikhani)
Director/Writer/Producer: David Dephy (Georgia/US)
Performer: Maryam S Alikhani (Iran/US)
SEE ARTIST WEBSITE / SEE PRODUCER WEBSITE
SPOKEN WORD: Raw Take Performance
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT – 3:44 min (2021) – Student Entry
Writer: Allyson Kealani Pang (US)
SEE WEBSITE
SUICIDAL – 43:00 min (2021) – Student Entry
Writer: Rachana Raghavendra (India)
SEE WEBSITE
THE R WORD – 2:08 min (2021)
Writers/Performer: Brittney Traudt (US)
SEE WEBSITE
JUDGES
Keisha-Gaye Anderson
Keisha-Gaye Anderson is a Jamaican-born poet, writer, visual artist, and communications and marketing strategist based in Brooklyn, NY. An award-winning author, Keisha’s poetry, fiction, and essays have been widely published in national literary journals, magazines, and anthologies.
Kate Rigg
Originally from Canada and Australia, artist and activist Kate Siahaan-Rigg has been an advocate for the Asian American community since graduation from the Juilliard Drama Division in 2000, where she won the Interarts Award for producing innovative interdisciplinary, intercultural work. She’s been profiled twice on PBS for solo works regarding AAPI.
Amos White V
Amos is an inter-disciplinary multimedia artist, event producer, and exhibit designer. A graduate of the College of Human Ecology at the University of Maryland, College Park, Amos bridges his passion for the arts and human relations with the formation of THE ARTISTS FORUM.
Baron Wright
Baron is an award winning multi-disciplined artist, and motivational speaker. He is also the founder of BaronArts Inc. – a company focused on experiential learning, supportive arts, and personal development coaching. With over a decade of creative and transformational work experience, Baron uses innovative art-inspired techniques to help his clients.
AWARDS LISTING
2021 SPOKEN WORD WINNERS
BEST ENHANCED PERFORMANCE: Listen Asshole (Yellow Rage, US)
BEST EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE: Idealists (David Dephy, Georgia/US)
BEST RAW TAKE PERFORMANCE: A Trick of the Light (Allyson Kealani Pang, US)
SPOKEN WORD GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Broken Promises (Bee Guzman-Elliott, US)
2021 SPOKEN WORD FINALISTS
ENHANCED PERFORMANCE: Avery R. Young – Emmet (til de remix) (US)
EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE: Shelby Montevirgen – Fast Lane Matrix (US)
RAW TAKE PERFORMANCE: Bevin Macutay – Exist (US)
RAW TAKE PERFORMANCE: Brittney Traudt – The R Word (US)
RAW TAKE PERFORMANCE (STUDENT): Rachana Raghavendra – Suicidal (India)
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
View or download our 2021 Juried Art Competitions Program
Watch our 2021 Juried Awards Ceremony
Watch our 2021 MEET the Artists Videos
Watch our 2021 Spoken Word Call-For-Entries Video
