Poetry Out Loud: Georgia

Poetry Out Loud ® lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. Through this program, high school students across the country participate in a dynamic poetry recitation competition that is designed to improve their public speaking skills, help build confidence, and teach them about literary history and contemporary life.

Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.6 million students and 89,000 teachers from 22,000 schools across the U.S. have participated in Poetry Out Loud.

National Program Guidelines

A program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with participating state and jurisdictional arts agencies and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts, Poetry Out Loud provides free lesson plans and other educational materials to teachers and organizers, including a Guide for Teachers and Organizers, a Judge’s Guide, and a “Find Poems” tab with an updated anthology for the 2026-2027 competition.

National program guidelines for the 2026-2027 school year are now available at poetryoutloud.org. Please be sure to review this information closely, noting a few updates to the program this year, including:

A new, expanded anthology (featuring 600+ classic and contemporary poems from a wide range of voices, styles, and time periods)
Updated evaluation criteria and scoring rubric
A return to poem selection requirements – specifically: At the state and national finals, students must have three poems prepared. One must be 25 lines or fewer, and one must be published before 1930. One poem may be used to meet both criteria, and may be the student’s third poem.

Georgia Schools & Organizations: How to Get Involved (2026-2027)

The Alliance Theatre is thrilled to administer Poetry Out Loud for the state of Georgia in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts. Registration for the 2026-2027 program is now open through Wednesday, January 27, 2027 (11:59 PM).

Register (Schools & Organizations)

Individual Student Eligibility

Individual Students (who are not affiliated with a registered School or Organization) are welcome to participate in the Poetry Out Loud program. Please complete the Interest Form for Individual Students, now open through Wednesday, January 27, 2027 (11:59 PM), and a representative from our team will be in touch to confirm plans for your participation.

Express Interest (Individual Students)

Georgia Schedule (2026-2027)

The schedule below is accurate as of September 1, 2026 and is subject to change. Please return to this page for updates and additional details regarding the Poetry Out Loud program in Georgia.

- Tuesday, September 1, 2026: Registration for Georgia Schools & Organizations opens
- Wednesday, January 27, 2027 (11:59 PM): Registration for Georgia Schools & Organizations closes
- Thursday, January 28, 2027 (11:59 PM): Deadline for Georgia Schools & Organizations to hold a local contest & report a local champion
- Saturday, January 30, 2027: Virtual Student Workshop – Preparation for Regional Contests via Zoom (2 hours; time to be announced)
- Saturday, February 6, 2027:
  Regional 1 – West-Central GA (details to be announced)
  Regional 2 – Southeast GA (details to be announced)
- Saturday, February 13, 2027:
  Regional 3 – Metro Atlanta North (Call 10 AM – 1 PM; Contest at 11 AM at the Alliance Theatre – Rehearsal Hall A)
  Regional 4 – Metro Atlanta South (Call 2 PM – 5 PM; Contest at 3 PM at the Alliance Theatre – Rehearsal Hall A)
- Tuesday, February 23, 2027:
  Regional 5 – Virtual (Call 4:30 – 7 PM; Contest at 5 PM via Zoom)
- Saturday, February 27, 2027: Virtual Student Workshop – Preparation for State Final via Zoom (2 hours; time to be announced)
- Saturday, March 6, 2027: State Final (Call 3 – 6:30 PM; Contest at 4 PM at the Woodruff Arts Center – Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families)
- Monday, April 26 – Wednesday, April 28, 2027: National Finals administered by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts – Washington, DC

Our team has cross-referenced this schedule with several district and school calendars, and we welcome your specific feedback and requests to ensure alignment and inclusion. The 1-month window for feedback and requests regarding the schedule is open through Friday, October 2, 2026 (11:59 PM). Please contact our team at poetryoutloud@alliancetheatre.org to note any conflicts or suggestions.

Poetry Out Loud contests in Georgia are free and open to the public. Educators, family members, and community partners are welcome and encouraged to attend. Doors will open approximately 15 minutes prior to each contest’s start time.

Organize a Competition

The poetryoutloud.org webpage includes national guidelines and detailed information regarding how to organize a competition. At the Alliance Theatre, the most frequently asked question we hear from organizers is: When should I host my local contest? We strongly recommend registering and holding your local contest in the fall, if possible. However, we understand that the top of the new year may be a preferred window. As such, registration will remain open through Wednesday, January 27, 2027 and the deadline to host a local contest & report a local champion is Thursday, January 28, 2027. Please be advised that these deadlines are set to allow as much time as possible and are firm.

Attend Virtual Office Hours

Representatives from the Alliance Theatre and Georgia Council for the Arts will host virtual office hours for educators and community members interested in learning more about this year’s program. These meetings will occur virtually in real-time via Zoom and advanced registration is required.