Poetry Out Loud connects youth with language, emotion and performance – one powerful verse at a time.
Read, Recite, Share Your Voice
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages high school students to explore the power of poetry through performance and memorization.
As the regional partner for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, ArtsQuest, led by the Visual Arts and Education team, hosts the Poetry Out Loud competition, giving students from across the Lehigh Valley the chance to bring classic and contemporary poems to life on stage.
Participants build public speaking skills, boost self-confidence and deepen their appreciation for literary arts.
Finalists from the regional event move on to the state and national levels, showcasing their talents on a larger stage and celebrating the enduring impact of the spoken word.
Submissions for Poetry Out Loud take place at the student’s high school.