Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students beginning in the classroom and culminating in the National Finals in Washington, D.C. where over $50,000 is awarded in scholarships and school stipends.

Drawing upon elements of spoken word, theater, and slam poetry, Poetry Out Loud cultivates an appreciation of poetry that goes beyond the page — celebrating the creativity and craft of performance, not just reading.

On Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 1—5pm, high school students from Arizona's Northern, Central, and Southern regions will convene in Tucson for the Arizona State Finals, competing for the opportunity to represent Arizona at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., in April. The event will be held at the University of Arizona Poetry Center. 

Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona Commission on the Arts, and University of Arizona Poetry Center.