IOWA CITY, IOWA (September 21, 2026) — This school year, Humanities Iowa and the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement invite Iowa high school students to participate in Poetry Out Loud, a dynamic poetry recitation competition designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and teach students about literary history and contemporary life.
“Poetry Out Loud inspires students to explore poetry while developing skills that serve them in the classroom and beyond,” said Leslie Finer, Director of Arts and Humanities at the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement.
“We encourage Iowa educators and community organizations to join us in bringing this transformative experience to students across the state.”
During the 2026-27 academic year, schools are invited to hold classroom and school-wide competitions, with winning students advancing to Iowa’s state competition on February 28, 2027. The state champion will then advance to the national finals in Washington DC on April 27-28, 2027, where $50,000 in awards and
school stipends will be distributed to national winners.
Beginning this year, Humanities Iowa is partnering with the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement to administer the Poetry Out Loud program in Iowa. The Iowa Poetry Out Loud registration deadline is December 1, 2026. Participating schools and organizations must register through Humanities Iowa to take part in the official Iowa Poetry Out Loud program.
Participating teachers and organizations have access to free, standards-based curriculum materials, including an online poetry anthology, teacher resources and videos about the art of poetry recitation, at PoetryOutLoud.org.
Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.6 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud. The program is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and is managed in partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts.
To register in Iowa, visit humanitiesiowa.org/poetry-out-loud. For more information, please contact:
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the Arts Endowment fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit arts.gov to learn more.
About Humanities Iowa
Humanities Iowa (HI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to bringing the humanities to life in Iowa, with the people of Iowa. We provide grants, build community partnerships, and create programming that reaches over 250,000 Iowans each year. Our programming and projects reach every corner of the state and range from community roundtables and intergenerational storytelling projects to the Iowa Poet Laureate program, the statewide Speakers Bureau series, and the journal Voices from the Prairie. Humanities Iowa is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Learn more about Humanities Iowa at www.humanitiesiowa.org.
About the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement
The Office of Community Engagement at the University of Iowa serves as a bridge between the university and the community. We facilitate mutually beneficial partnerships between faculty, staff, students, and community partners across our state, nation, and world. We offer trainings, workshops, and provide informational resources and expertise that empowers faculty, staff, and students to transform their teaching, learning, and research to make lasting change and a positive impact in our communities.
