
THE ARTISTS FORUM SPOKEN WORD COMPETITION, part of our Juried Arts Festival 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.
Our 2025 Competition Theme is: ACCESS.
Click here for details on this year theme.
See our submission site for submission categories, and our Rules & Terms for eligibility.
SUBMISSIONS
Each submission, reviewed by a panel of industry professionals, will be rated upon its individual merits. Finalists in each category will be judged against one another and a winner declared. Our list of competition jurors is forthcoming.
All selected artists are eligible for a television studio or Zoom interview to be promoted on our online platforms and via THE ARTISTS FORUM TELEVISION – an arts-based cable TV program broadcasted from New York City since 2000.
Opening Date: JANUARY 17, 2025
Earlybird Deadline: FEBRUARY 6, 2025
Regular Deadline: FEBRUARY 27, 2025
Late Deadline: MARCH 20, 2025
Extended Late Deadline: APRIL 3, 2025

THE ARTISTS FORUM INC., now in its 26th 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.
Follow @theartistsforum:
Facebook, TAF film fest on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Linkedin, Pinterest, Youtube, Vimeo, and Tiktok
Hashtags: #theartistsforum #theartistsforumspokenword #theartistsforumjuriedarts #legaciesofpower #access