The Chicago Poetry Center is pleased to serve in its 9th year as the Chicagoland Regional Host Organization for the Poetry Out Loud Teen Competition. Poetry Out Loud is a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through analysis, memorization, performance, and competition. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools across the U.S. have participated in Poetry Out Loud and have awarded more than $105,000 in prizes and school stipends each year. The National Endowment for the Arts, in conjunction with state arts agencies, support this nation-wide program with participants from all fifty states plus Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the 2025-2026 Poetry Out Loud program will focus on poems that celebrate America’s rich history and culture.
The program starts at the local level with a school or participating organization. Winners will then advance to a regional competition, then state, and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, D.C. Awards and placements are determined by a panel of judges’ scores that are based on the Poetry Out Loud Evaluation Criteria.
Poetry Out Loud offers free materials to aid teachers in implementing the program in their schools. Students from all types of high schools are welcome to participate. This includes public, private, parochial, independent, charter, and homeschool. Non-school organizations, such as after school clubs, libraries, or nonprofit organizations, may choose to run Poetry Out Loud as well.
Registration for Illinois is now open on the Illinois Arts Council Agency’s website. Teachers can register their students for Poetry Out Loud 2026 HERE
The deadline to register is January 16, 2026.
Poetry Out Loud is a collaborative project of the Illinois Arts Council Agency and seven arts agencies, each of which hosts a regional contest. The Chicago Poetry Center with the support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency will act for an eighth year as the regional hosts for Chicagoland.
2026 Chicagoland Regionals Competition Location & Dates:
The Chicagoland Regionals two-day competition will be held at the Poetry Foundation , 61 W. Superior St, Chicago, IL 60654
City Schools Regionals: February 4, 2026, 10am-1pm
Suburban Schools Regionals: February 11, 2026, 10am-1pm
Please note: We will be asking schools to have their student winner information to the Chicagoland Coordinator at least one week before regionals. Please plan accordingly for hosting your school-wide contest.
For questions about registration and contests details please contact pol@poetrycenter.org
For more information about the competition and how to participate please visit the Poetry Out Loud official website.
*Photo of 2025 Metro/Suburban Regionals Winner Jaden Conley Photographed by Glenn Willoughby
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency
