#Slam4urlife wants our youth’s poetry, music, art and tiktoks!

Co-ordinated by the Western Cape Government Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports Department, in partnership with Community Chest, FunDza Literacy Trust and Assitej South Africa, the #Slam4urLife competition calls on young people to respond creatively to life under COVID-19.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdown, millions of young South Africans are at home confronting the abrupt changes to their daily routines, and wrestling too with the stress of how this crisis impacts their lives, and their future hopes and dreams.

Many young people have already taken to social media to express their feelings from short poems on Twitter about the uncertain future to TikToks about life in lockdown.

Young people – between the ages of 13 and 35 years – living in South Africa are invited to submit their poetry, raps, songs, TikToks, sketches, photographs, artwork or memes. They will stand in line to win airtime, data and one of three laptops (for the top three winners).

The piece must focus, in an original and creative way, on some impact of the pandemic on our lives, whether on the health aspect or the major societal shifts that the pandemic has sparked. It can be submitted through any of these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok by tagging @Slam4urLife and using the #Slam4urLife hashtag. Entrants can also submit via the FunDza WhatsApp account. WhatsApp 'hi' to 0600 54 8676 and then type # and follow the menu prompts to submit your entry.

Minister Anroux Marais said, “As project initiators, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s After School Programme Office is proud to partner with the Community Chest, FunDza Literacy Trust and Assitej South Africa on the #Slam4urLife competition. In these unprecedented times, innovative programmes of this nature is a necessity as it affords young South Africans the opportunity to share their realities about what life in these COVID-19 times is like for them.

"It is indeed a proactive response to encourage creative and positive discourses to the crisis to unpack its implications and consequent personal experiences through the lenses of our youth. If you're between 13 and 35 years old, be brave and share your story too!”.

Participants have until 5 June to enter. During this period there will be four rounds of judging for the 'heats'. Winners for each “heat” will be announced on 18 May, 25 May, 1 June and 8 June. For full Terms and Conditions please see https://live.fundza.mobi/competitions/slam4urlife-competition-enter-now/.

From the heats, judges will select nine finalists in three categories: visual (photographs, artwork, memes), text (poetry, rap or flash-fiction), video (music performance, dance, sketch or TikTok).

The recommended length for video submissions is 30 seconds with a maximum time limit of 45 seconds; and the recommended word length for text submissions is 150 words, with 200 words being the maximum limit. The finalists will be given a week to promote their creative entry on social media. Local celebrities and artists will select the final winners in the three categories. These will be announced on Youth Day, 16 June 2020.

Spread the word and share in the fun. Follow @Slam4urLife on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to view the entries as they come in.