More than $100,000 awarded nationally to students and schools in 2011.
October 31, 2011 deadline for 2012 Arizona Poetry Out Loud participation.
Phoenix, AZ (September 9, 2011)–The Arizona Commission on the Arts invites Arizona high schools to participate in the 2012 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, a free national program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Poetry Out Loud encourages youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about literary heritage.
Starting at the classroom level in October, participating teachers will receive free multimedia curriculum materials – a poetry anthology, audio guide, teachers’ guide, posters and comprehensive website, www.poetryoutloud.org, all aligned to national standards – augmenting their regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a classroom-level competition. School-level recitation champions compete to advance to the regional, state and then national levels. In 2011, Poetry Out Loud awarded more than $100,000 in prizes to students and schools at the state and national levels.
Poetry Out Loud is administered in Arizona by the Arizona Commission on the Arts in collaboration with its regional partners, Arizona State University’s Young Writers Program and the University of Arizona Poetry Center.
To participate in the 2012 Poetry Out Loud program, visit www.azarts.gov/pol, and register your school at http://azarts.gov/arts-learning/poetry-out-loud/register-your-school/. Online registration will be open until October 31 2011. Once registered, schools should contact their region’s partner to learn more about the many resources and opportunities available to them. Contact information for the regional partners can be found on the “For Teachers” page of the POL section of the Arts Commission’s website at http://azarts.gov/arts-learning/poetry-out-loud/for-teachers/.
Further detail regarding the Poetry Out Loud program is available at www.poetryoutloud.org.
For more information regarding Poetry Out Loud in Arizona, please visit www.azarts.gov/pol or contact Patrick Fanning, Arts Learning and Special Projects Coordinator, at 602-771-6529.
About the Arizona Commission on the Arts
One of 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the United States, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is an agency of the State of Arizona that supports a statewide arts network. The Arizona Commission on the Arts supports access to quality arts and arts education opportunities for all Arizona citizens; the development and retention of statewide jobs in the nonprofit arts, culture and education sectors; and increased economic impact in local communities through arts-based partnerships that develop tax and small business revenue. http://azarts.gov/.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit, www.nea.gov.
About The Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine and one of the largest literary organizations in the world, exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs. For more information, please visit, www.poetryfoundation.org.
We imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts.
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To request this or any other agency publication in an alternative format, contact the Arts Commission offices at (602) 771-6501.
Images available upon request.
