Your words.
Your space.
Free youth open mics for poetry, music, storytelling, and connection. Share something new, meet other young artists, or settle in and listen.
No experience required. Come as you are.
Who Can Participate
Age
High school youth ages 13-17 (or 18 & 19 if within one year of post-secondary transition)
Artistry
Spoken word poets, performers, and emerging storytellers
Experience
No prior stage or writing experience required; all levels welcome!
2026-27
Youth Open Mics
Saturdays · 2-5 PM
The VORTEX · 2307 Manor Road, Austin
2026 · September 19 · October 17 · November 21
2027 · March 20 · April 17 · May 22
Bring school ID. Registration includes eligibility and parent/guardian participation-consent details.
What to Expect
Participants do not have to perform to attend. Young people are welcome to come as they are, bring a friend, and participate at their own pace.
Creative writing, performance activities, and space to create
Opportunities to connect with other young artists over snacks and conversation
A youth-hosted open mic featuring poetry, music, storytelling, and performance
Leadership and support from Youth Committee members, teaching artists, and background-checked adult supervisors
What Is a Third Space?
A third space is a welcoming place outside of home and school where young people can build community, express themselves, develop leadership skills, and experience a sense of belonging.
Bring Courageous Cadence to Your Community
Partner with Courageous Cadence to create meaningful poetry and performance opportunities for young people. Book a youth poet for a performance, hire one of our teaching artists to lead a youth workshop, invite us to host an open mic, or collaborate with us on a customized creative experience for your school, organization, or community event.
Your partnership supports youth artists, expands access to spoken word programming, and helps young people build confidence, community, and creative leadership.
Since its founding, Courageous Cadence alumni have gone on to:
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Earn degrees in fields such as Art Therapy, Creative Writing, and Theatre
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Work as community activists, youth leaders, and organizers
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Perform as spoken word artists, theatre makers, and slam poets
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Facilitate workshops and mentor younger youth in arts and justice spaces
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Continue their artistic growth through public performances, residencies, and professional productions
Courageous Cadence supports youth not only as artists, but as changemakers who continue to amplify their voices and stories long after the program.
History
Founded by Jasmine Games in 2020, Courageous Cadence grew out of her graduate work in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at The University of Texas at Austin. It began as a Performing Justice Project, centering spoken word as a practice of racial, gender, and healing justice.
The first residencies met online in 2020 and 2021, with early support from Speak Piece Poetry Project, Austin Bat Cave, and UT. In 2022 and 2023, in-person summer residencies took place through the African American Youth Harvest Foundation’s Urban University Summer Camp.
The VORTEX hosted the first full in-person residency in 2024. The 2025–26 school-year program brought monthly intensives, guest artists, ensemble creation, and a spring residency culminating in a fully staged public showcase. Young people also explored publishing and digital storytelling.
In 2026–27, the program expands into free youth open mics and creative gatherings. Hosted and co-crafted with Youth Committee members, they offer a third space outside home and school to write, perform, build relationships, and develop leadership. Background-checked adults support and supervise each gathering.
