Young Chicago Authors (YCA) presents the world’s largest youth poetry festival, the 16th annual Louder Than A Bomb (LTAB), a stage for talented teenage poets to compete for individual and team honors. LTAB Semifinals showcases the top 16 high school teams competing in daylong, Olympicstyle poetry bouts with a special performances throughout the day, on March 13 at the Metro Chicago.

Last years Semifinals welcomed over 1,000 audience members for a celebration of spoken word and youth voice. This year’s LTAB 2016 will take place at 10 venues, featuring the talents of 1,200 students from more than 125 schools across 120 different Chicagoland zip codes. Participants work yearround to craft lyrically acrobatic performances that cover many pivotal topics including policing, social justice and equity, which often have spectators on the edge of their seats.

LTAB 2016 Schedule: Feb. 13 – March 19, 2016:

• Preliminary Bouts: February 17 – 20 and February 24 – 27 at Columbia College Chicago.
• SemiFinals: March 13 at the Metro Chicago from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Indy Finals: March 17 at the DuSable Museum of African American History starting at 6 p.m.
• Sweet 16 Benefit Party: March 18 at the Metro Chicago.
• Team Finals: March 19 at the Auditorium Theater starting at 6 p.m.