Free national program implemented statewide by the Illinois Arts Council & Regional Partners in Alton, Carbondale, Champaign, Chicago, the Quad Cities, Springfield, Rockford Areas to award more than $100k in the 2011-2012 Academic Year.
The Illinois Arts Council, Quad City Arts and other regional partners statewide invite all Illinois high schools to participate in the 2012-13 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, a free national program created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Now entering its 6th year of national competition, Poetry Out Loud has inspired hundreds of thousands of students to discover a broad spectrum of classic and contemporary poetry.
State Awards: Each winner at the state level will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip (with an adult chaperone) to Washington, DC, to compete at the National Finals. The state winner's school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. One runner-up in each state will receive $100; his or her school will receive $200 for the purchase of poetry books.
National Awards: A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be given at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion.
Free Poetry Out Loud materials are available for participating schools, including print and online poetry anthologies, a teacher's guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance, an audio CD featuring distinguished actors and writers, promotional and media guides, and a comprehensive website.
All curriculum materials and further details regarding the program can be acquired from local coordinator, Tracy White at 563-579-7630 or tracer@iowatelecom.net these items are also available on the Poetry Out Loud website: www.poetryoutloud.org
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is also honored to provide travel support for regional and state finals of Poetry Out Loud in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
