Read, Recite, Share Your Voice
Schools, community organizations, and individual students who are interested in the program are encouraged to visit the Alliance Theatre’s Poetry Out Loud Information Page for additional details about the program, registration, and key dates. Registration is open now through Friday, January 16, 2026 (11:59 PM).
Presented by the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Georgia Council for the Arts is thrilled to partner with the Alliance Theatre to administer Poetry Out Loud for the state.
Poetry Out Loud lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.5 million high school students have participated in this dynamic poetry recitation competition. Poetry Out Loud can help students improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and grow their appreciation for poetry.
In the past 12 years, four Georgia champions have placed in the top three at the national finals, including a first-place win in 2017 and a second-place acknowledgement in 2024. Georgia students have collectively been awarded a total of $55,000 at the national finals.
“This Poetry Out Loud experience has exceeded my expectations!” said Georgia Poetry Out Loud 2024 champion and national second-place winner Tiana Jones. “Just being surrounded by such talented peers placing their interpretations of these poet's works on full display was a joy to be a part of.”