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Competitions

"we can not compete
but perhaps we meet somewhere"

from 'Red Rose and a Beggar' by H.D., found in Hermetic Definition (New Directions,1972)

  • This list is compiled monthly from information sent to The Poetry Library by organisers of competitions.
  • Each competition has different regulations. In most cases, poems should be in English and not previously published.
  • Where regulations and entry forms are available online, a link is provided, but in other cases, competitors should write to each competition, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope for an entry form before submitting work.
  • For competitions suitable for children and young people, click here
  • The Poetry Library accepts no liability in connection with the information contained in the list.

Now displaying records 1 to 20 of 31

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Poetry Business Book and Pamphlet Competition 2009 | Closing Date: 29-Nov-09

Details:
Entrants are invited to submit a short collection of poems (up to 24 pages). Four of these are selected as first stage winners, and the poets offered pamphlet publication and a share of £1,000. Winners may then submit a longer manuscript for the overall prize of book publication. This year's judge is Andrew Motion.


Entry Fee: £20 for postal entries from North subscribers and Friends of the Poetry Business, (and all others pay £25), and online entries cost £1 more.

Contact: The Poetry Business Book & Pamphlet Competition, Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield S1 2DS

For full conditions of entry and an entry form, go to www.poetrybusiness.co.uk or email office@poetrybusiness.co.uk.

Poetry Business Book & Pamphlet Competition | Closing Date: 29-Nov-09

Details:
For small collection of 20-24 pages of poems. Judge: Andrew Motion. Prizes: Publication & £1,000.
Entry Fee: £25 per collection (£20 for North subscribers)

Contact:

The Competition Administrator, The Poetry Business, Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield S1 2DS

Website: www.poetrybusiness.co.uk

Café Writers Open Poetry Competition 2009 | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
First prize £1000, £100 prize for Norfolk resident, and the Nancy Jervis Poetry Prize of £150 for the best poem on the theme of reconciliation. Judge: George Szirtes. For poems of up to 40 lines.


Entry Fee: £4 for the first poem, and decreasing costs thereafter

Contact:

Café Writers Poetry Competition, 17 Wingfield Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 3HF

Website: www.cafewriters.org.uk

Plough Prize 2009 | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
Judge: Alison Brackenbury. Categories: Short poem (up to 10 lines), Open (up to 40 lines), Poem for Children (suitable for 5-11yrs approx. - any length). Prizes: 1st £500, 2nd £200, 3rd £100 in Short and Open categories; £100 1st prize Children's Poem category. Special prize for best entry by Devon resident (no additional entry fee).


Entry Fee: £4 per poem, four poems £14, thereafter £3.50.

Contact:

SAE to: Poetry Competition, The Plough Arts Centre, 9-11 Fore Street, Torrington EX38 8HQ

Tel. 01805 624624; email: admin@theploughprize.co.uk

Website: www.theploughprize.co.uk

New Writer Prose and Poetry Prizes 2009 | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
Single Poems and Collections - single poems up to 40 lines and collections of between 6 - 10 poems. Single poem entries must be previously unpublished; previously published poems can be included as part of a collection. Collection: 1st prize £300, 2nd £200, 3rd £100. Single: 1st prize £100, 2nd £75, 3rd £50.


Entry Fee: £5 for a single poem, £12 for a collection

Contact:

The New Writer, PO Box 60, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2ZR

Tel 01580 212626  

Email: editor@thenewwriter.com

Website: www.thenewwriter.com

Iota International Poetry Competition 2009 | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
First Prize £2000. Judge: Tim Turnbull. For poems of up to 80 lines.
Entry Fee: £4 for one poem, £7 for two poems, £9 for three poems, £10 for four poems

Contact:

Iota Competition, PO Box 7721, Matlock DE4 9DD

Webiste: www.iotamagazine.co.uk

Cinnamon Press Poetry Collection Award | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
For ten poems of up to 40 lines. The winning author has his/her poetry collection published with Cinnamon Press and receives a prize of £100
Entry Fee: £16 per entry

Contact:

Cinnamon Press Writing Award, Ty Meirion, Glan yr afon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3SU

Website: www.cinnamonpress.com

2009 Yorkshire Open Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 30-Nov-09

Details:
for poems of up to 80 lines. Sole Adjudicator: George Szirtes. Prizes: £500 £250 £100 + £50(Yorkshire Prize) +15 further cash prizes. No entry form required, usual rules apply.
Entry Fee: £4 per poem or £14 for four poems

Contact:

Send entries with SAE to: YOPC 2009, The Word House, 3 Post Office Row, Yorks, YO41  1QY

Cheques payable to YOPC 2009 - Yorkshire entrants mark poems 'Y' top right corner

Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize 2009 | Closing Date: 01-Dec-09

Details:
A prize of £1,750, with publication in the UK and USA by The Waywiser Press is given annually for a collection of poems in English by an author who has published no more than one previous collection.


Entry Fee: £15

Contact: Full guidelines and the required entry form can be downloaded from the website: http://waywiser-press.com/hechtprize.html. Or send an SASE to The Waywiser Press, 29A Carr Hill Road, Upper Cumberworth, Huddersfield HD8 8NW

Understanding Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 15-Dec-09

Details:
£250 for the best poem. Judges: Dr Thom Nairn, Dr Susanna Roxman, Denise Smith.
Entry Fee: £1.50 per poem

Contact: Understanding, 127 Milton Road West, 7, Duddingston House Courtyard, Edinburgh EH15 1JG

Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Prize | Closing Date: 15-Dec-09

Details:
First prize £900 and publication in Southword Literary Journal.
Entry Fee: £5 per poem or £20 for five poems

Contact:

The Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Competition, The Munster Literature Centre, Frank O'Connor House, 84 Douglas Street, Cork, Ireland

For more information about submission guidelines, please visit www.munsterlit.ie. Alternatively ring +353 21 431 2955 or email administrator@munsterlit.ie

Coast to Coast Writing Competitions | Closing Date: 31-Dec-09

Details:
Monthly competitions in many categories - rhyme, free verse, short stories, sonnets and more. Send SAE for full details to the address below.
Entry Fee: £?

Contact:

Coast to Coast Writing Competitions, Flat 1, 9 Wellington Street, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 8QL

Email: ousevalleypoetry@yahoo.co.uk

Presteigne & Norton Twinning Association Children's Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 31-Dec-09

Details:
For aged 16 and under. For poems of up to 40 lines on the theme of France. First Prize: up to £150 depending on entry, under-11s prize and commendations (see website for details).
Entry Fee: £1 per poem or £3 for five poems

Contact: PNTA Poetry Competition, Bridge Cottage, Norton Manor Park, Norton, Presteigne, Powys LD8 2EG.

Website: www.pnta.org.uk/poetry

Journeys - Sampad's International Writing Competition | Closing Date: 31-Dec-09

Details:
An opportunity for aspiring writers from or connected to the South Asian diaspora around the world. You can write in any style - short story, poetry, reportage - using the theme of Journeys as a starting point: use your imagination to evoke memories, sensations, your feelings about a journey you have made - in your dreams or in real life - voyage of self discovery, back to your roots There are 2 categories: one for writers aged 8 to 15; one for writers aged 16 and over. First prize for under 16s, £200, first prize for 16 and over, £300.


Entry Fee: £0

Contact: If you would like to take part, visit our website www.sampad.org.uk for more details and an entry form, email us at info@sampad.org.uk, or call us for an entry application by post on 0121 452 8899

English Association's 2009 Fellows' Poetry Prize | Closing Date: 31-Dec-09

Details:
For poems of up to 30 lines. Panel of judges: Robyn Bolam (Chair), Peter Abbs, Gregory Woods. Theme: Creation/Creativity. First prize: £500
Entry Fee: £5 per poem, maximum 3 poems

Contact:

Fellows' Poetry Prize, The English Association, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH

Website: www.le.ac.uk/engassoc/fpp.html

Academi Cardiff International Poetry Competition 2010 | Closing Date: 29-Jan-10

Details:
First prize: £5000. Judges: Jackie Kay and Zoë Skoulding. For poems of up to 50 lines.
Entry Fee: £6 per poem

Contact:

Academi Cardiff International Poetry Competition 2010, P.O. Box 438, Cardiff CF10 5YA

Website: www.academi.org

Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 31-Jan-10

Details:
£1550 in prizes. Judge: Alan Jenkins.
Entry Fee: £4 per poem

Contact:

The Competition Organiser, 26 Courtlands, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5AS

Website: www.kentandsussexpoetrysociety.org

Torriano Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 31-Jan-10

Details:
For poems of up to 40 lines. Prizes: First £250, Second £150, Third £75
Entry Fee: £3 per poem, four poems for £10

Contact: Cheques payable to Torriano Support Fund.

Judges: June English and Katherine Gallagher

Entries to:  Diana Baggs, 1 Havelock Road, Walmer, Deal, Kent CT14  7TE

Info:  Tel: 01304 372914
Email: june.english@btinternet.com

East Riding Open Poetry Competition 2010 | Closing Date: 31-Jan-10

Details:
In association with Beverley Literature Festival & East Riding Libraries. Sole Adjudicator: Jacob Polley. Length: 45 lines. Prizes: £500 £200 £100; £20 x 10 commendations Plus special prize of £100 for East Riding resident or someone who works in the ERYC area (mark top of page with a 'Y').


Entry Fee: £3 per poem

Contact:

East Riding Poetry Competition, Library Offices, Skirlaugh, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU11 5HN
www.bevlit.org  
www.eastriding.gov.uk/libraries

Send SAE for an entry form.

2010 Strokestown International Poetry Prize | Closing Date: 05-Feb-10

Details:
For unpublished poems of up to 70 lines. Prizes: 4,000 Euros (approx £3,600); 2,000 Euros(approx £1,800); 1,000 Euros (approx £850) 10 shortlisted poets read at the festival and awarded a reading fee of 450 Euros (approx £400).
Entry Fee: £5 per poem

Contact:

Enter and pay online; or print entry form from website:
www.strokestownpoetry.org
Poetry Festival Office, Strokestown,
Co. Roscommon EIRE

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