Knicks Poetry Slam is a joint project run by the New York Knicks and the Urban Word NYC (a non-profit organization involved in the field of youth literacy and personal development) aimed at encouraging young people from the big city to have their say in poetic format. This project is supported by the leading sportswear brand as Nike. This is a competition for young poets that allows them to demonstrate their talents in public and compete with others for a chance to earn a better future: the winners will be awarded with educational grants, $450,000 in total, www.nikestadiums.com reports. 

For the first time in the contest history, the program’s semifinal was held at Nike Stadium in Manhattan. Nike Stadiums are new multi-purpose destinations located in Berlin, London, Milan, New York, Paris and Tokyo. They serve as «stages for inspired performers, labs for innovative expressions, spaces where stories are told and others are written», according to www.nikestadiums.com.

The semifinals of the Knicks Poetry Slam took place in the mid December with the number of participants amounting to more than 60 students. Afterwards, on December 24, the shortlisted finalists got together in the New Amsterdam Theatre for the final battle.

At the moment, the Digital Poet Competition is being held at www.msg.com/tv/shows/knicks-thursdays/knicks-poetry-slam until January 20, in which the 4th and 5th place winners compete.

Knicks Poetry Slam launched in 2003. The main idea behind this art project, according to the project founders ‘is to reach teenagers by using the popularity of hip-hop and poetry as a vehicle to motivate and inspire expression through the written and spoken word’. At the moment this initiative serves over 10,000 students annually and features a variety of events to engage more teenagers like school site visits, a Poetry Open Audition, a College Fair, workshops and Poetry Slams.