Words Ignite, Voices Collide, and Change Takes Root

Rise & Riot is Sierra Leone’s spoken word competition. It runs qualifying heats across the year, culminating in a grand finale at the Inkundla Arts Festival. Any poet can enter. The stage is open.

Each heat takes place at Mango Peak in Freetown. Poets perform original work, are judged by a diverse panel, and compete across multiple rounds. Winners receive monetary prizes and pathways into Inkundla’s wider creative development programmes. The audience is as much a part of the night as the poets on stage.

Rise & Riot first ran in 2024. Below is a record of that inaugural series.

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Heat 1: 10 February 2024

The inaugural heat was something. Seventeen poets took the stage, performing across three intense rounds. Overdose emerged as the first champion of Rise & Riot, with Zeefa and Monica Jackson taking first and second runner-up. View highlights from the night.

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Heat 2: 13 March 2024 — All Female

The second heat was dedicated entirely to women poets. Attendance was smaller than expected but the poetry was not. Three poets came, and we ran the slam for those three poets and the audience that showed up, because that is the point. Karry won the heat, with Admire Bonnie and Just Gifted as runners-up. Thank you to Mango Peak and martin_bamin for their support. View highlights from the night.

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Heat 3 & Heat 4: 2024

The series continued through mid-2024 with two further heats. Heat 3 highlights here. Heat 4 highlights here.