PHILADELPHIA, PA — PA Humanities on Monday announced the recipients of its first-ever Rain Poetry Grants, awarding funding to 10 youth-serving organizations statewide to develop public humanities projects that put young voices front and center and transform poetry into community art.
The 2026 Rain Poetry Grants expand a program that encourages young people to write haiku poetry and then brings their words to life through water-activated installations in public spaces. Each selected organization will receive $4,000, individualized coaching from PA Humanities staff, and access to the Rain Poetry Toolkit, a free, publicly available guide launched last fall. Grantees are also required to provide a dollar-for-dollar match through funding or in-kind support.
The awardees span urban, suburban, and rural communities, reflecting the program’s statewide reach. The 2026 recipients are Basement Poetry in Bethlehem; Boyertown Community Library in Boyertown; Carlisle Arts Learning Center in Carlisle; Chester Writers House/Sparrow House in Chester; City Charter High School in Pittsburgh; Confluence Creative Arts Center in Confluence; Corry Higher Education Council in Corry; Friends’ Memorial Public Library in Kane; Pearl S. Buck International in Perkasie; and Rodef Shalom Congregation in Pittsburgh.
State lawmakers praised the initiative for blending creativity, civic engagement, and youth development. State Rep. Shelby Labs said programs like Rain Poetry represent an investment in young people and shared public spaces, calling the expansion into Bucks County a point of pride for her district. State Sen. Jay Costa said the program elevates young voices while bringing communities together through visible, accessible art.
Since launching in 2023 as part of PA Humanities’ 50th anniversary, Rain Poetry has engaged hundreds of young people, supported dozens of workshops led by poets and teaching artists, and produced hundreds of original poems. Installations have appeared in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, and Johnstown, with selected works later installed outside the State Library of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg during a public event attended by First Lady of Pennsylvania Lori Shapiro.
PA Humanities Executive Director Laurie Zierer said the program is designed to place young people at the center of community storytelling. She said the visibility of youth voices strengthens communities and reinforces the value of the humanities in everyday civic life.
Projects funded through the 2026 grants will be developed throughout the year, culminating in public installations and reveal celebrations that showcase student-written poetry in neighborhoods across the Commonwealth.
Rain Poetry is part of PA Humanities’ broader effort to spark creativity and strengthen communities through the humanities. The program is supported by a mix of public and private funding, including major foundations, federal and state resources, and support administered through Pennsylvania economic and education agencies.
More information about Rain Poetry and the Rain Poetry Toolkit is available at https://www.pahumanities.org/rainpoetry.
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