Mesa Arts Center Hosts ALL CITY SLAM CHAMPIONSHIP Poetry Slam, 11/30

Youth from across the Valley will come together to compete in the All City Slam spoken word poetry competition on Friday, November 30. This spoken word poetry competition helps young people establish their voice and use it to become driven citizens of the world using the art of spoken word poetry.

The All City Slam Championship will be held inside the Piper Repertory Theater at Mesa Arts Center (One East Main Street, Mesa) from 5:15-7pm and is free and open to the public. This event is presented by Phonetic Spit in partnership with Mesa Arts Center's 2012-2013 Artist in Residence program and is sponsored in part by the Mesa Arts Center and the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

For more information about the event, visit www.mesaartscenter.com.

The Mesa Arts Center, owned and operated by the City of Mesa, is a unique, architecturally stunning facility located in the heart of downtown Mesa. Arizona's largest arts center is home to four theaters, five art galleries, and 14 art studios. Guests, patrons, and students come to Mesa Arts Center to enjoy the finest live entertainment and performances, world-class visual art exhibitions, and outstanding arts education classes. The Mesa Arts Center mission is to inspire people through engaging arts experiences that are diverse, accessible, and relevant. Mesa Arts Center has received numerous awards and accolades including the “2010 Arts Organization of the Year,” by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Phoenix; the “2011 Best Venue to See National Acts” Best of Phoenix New Times; “2012 Best Arts Center” Critic’s Choiceazcentral.com, and most recently “2012 Venue of Excellence” by the International Association of Venue Managers. The 2012-2013 Performing Live Series is sponsored by Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Phonetic Spit creates a safe space to empower young people to establish their voice and use it to become driven and contributing citizens of the world using the art of spoken word poetry in an effort combat illiteracy and silence.