Hundreds of Metro Atlanta middle and high school students packed into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Jan. 30 for a spoken word and slam poetry performance thanks to a partnership between the ArtsBridge Foundation and Amazon.
The trip is part of the ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education nonprofit arm of Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and its Field Trip Program. The seasonal program offers art and STEM-oriented trips at low or zero cost.
On Jan. 30, just under 1,500 students from 12 schools and homeschool groups across Metro Atlanta bused into the arts center for an hour-long performance by the Mayhem Poets, a self-described “part hip-hop, part stand-up comedy and part theater” performance trio.
After the performance, each kid received a “snack pack” of chips, fruit snacks, juice, granola and handwritten notes courtesy of Amazon.
At its core, the field trip program is about engaging and inspiring young people through arts education, particularly in a state like Georgia, which has historically ranked among the lowest funded states for arts funding per capita, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
“Field trip programs like today help us to meet our mission and vision by providing high-quality programs and ensuring all have the capability to be a part of educational experiences like Mayhem Poets,” ArtsBridge Executive Director Jennifer Dobbs said.
ArtsBridge shows students groups like the Mayhem Poets to help make art more accessible. The group began in the early 2000s as students at Rutgers University when a teacher friend asked them to perform for an eighth-grade class and the poets agreed. From then on, they decided to perform for all ages, particularly incorporating educational programs and field trips aimed at students.
At the top of the show, the three performers — Scott Raven, Mikumari Caiyhe and Mason Granger — make a point of explaining that poetry isn’t just the work of Shakespeare.
“We want to make sure they all walk out of there like okay, regardless of whether you’ve ever heard of poetry before or not, whether you liked poetry before or not, see the show and at least be like ‘huh, maybe I’ll give that a try,’” Granger said.
Part of the appeal of poetry, Granger said, is its accessibility: “All you need is a pen and a notebook.”
The poets aim to introduce the art form to young people on their level, with age-relevant references and social topics, as well as a love of humor and music. At the Jan. 30 field trip, the theater lit up with cheers at questions like “who likes gospel music?” and poems about race in America.
“A thing we try to do, and I think we have come to do it well, is tell you what we think,” Granger said. “But in a way that’s not preachy, like talking to the kids instead of at the kids.”
The performers don’t shy away from social issues like poverty, prisons and gun violence in their poetry. They hope the show can help kids engage with each other and the world around them. It all comes down to what Granger sees as the point of poetry: “expressing your authentic voice.”
Head of Community Affairs for Amazon’s Atlanta region, Terreta Rodgers, said events like the Mayhem Poets field trip are important for young people “in their formative years where they’re finding their voice.” In feeling empowered, Rodgers said they can better make impacts in their communities.
The company sponsored the Jan. 30 field trip and provided snack packs, but the partnership began in 2022. Rodgers said the company was looking to work with a local arts organization that helped underserved students. Since then, Amazon has sponsored the field trips, making some free of charge to students.
Amazon also sponsors the annual Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards, known as the Shuler Awards.
“We believe in supporting those organizations that encourage young people to think big, come up with the next big idea and really kind of tap into their creative side to help solve problems,” Rodgers said.
For the Jan. 30 field trip, about 20 Amazon employees and family members, local students and senior citizens volunteered to put together the snack packs. Alltogether the volunteers made 2,500 snack packs — enough that the students could take more than one. It started as a way to feed the students so they aren’t hungry on the way back to school, but eventually grew to address a greater need.
“We discovered that many young people were food insecure and that when they came here that was an opportunity to provide snack packs so they aren’t hungry,” Rodgers said. “Then also just providing extras for if they need to take some home or they need to take something to a sibling.”
Ultimately, Rodgers said all of the work — sponsoring events, volunteering and providing food — falls back to the importance of arts education, especially for those who may not have the financial resources to pay for show tickets.
“These children from all walks of life in the Metro Atlanta area now have that opportunity,” Rodgers said. “Many of them will remember the first time they came to the Cobb Energy Center to actually witness a live performance.”
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