- Many poets send their poems to competitions. This can be a good way to find out what other people think of your writing.
- We add competitions to this list when organisers send us information.
- To enter the competition, send a stamped addressed envelope to the competition's address, and they will send you an entry form, or ask for an entry form by phone or email.
- The Poetry Library accepts no liability in connection with the information contained in the list [boring adult stuff!]
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2012 | Closing Date: 02-Mar-12
Details:For ages 16-18 only. Poems up to 48 lines. The theme is 'Voyages'. First prize is £3,000; second is £1,000; third prize is £500 with commended entries attracting £250. Judges are Christopher Reid, Don Paterson and Peter McDonald.
Entry Fee: £0.00
Contact:
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition, Christ Church, St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1DP
Full details from www.towerpoetry.org.uk
Awel Aman Tawe Poetry Competition on Climate Change | Closing Date: 31-Mar-12
Details:For poems up to 40 lines on theme of Climate Change. Judges: Carol Ann Duffy (English entries) & Elin ap Hywel (Welsh entries). Adults: 1st £500; 2nd £100; 3rd £50. Children: 1st £50; 2nd £30; 3rd £20.
Entry Fee: £3 per poem or 4 for £10 (adults); £1 per poem or 4 for £3 (children)
Contact:
email: ehinshelwood@awelamantawe.co.uk
website: www.awelamantawe.co.uk
Cheques payable to Awel Aman Tawe.
Awel Aman Tawe Poetry Competition, 76-78 Heol Gwilym, Cwmllynfell, Swansea, SA9 2GN
You can also enter online and pay via paypal on the website.
Buxton Poetry Competition 2011 | Closing Date: 06-Apr-12
Details:Theme this year is 'Welcome to Britain'. Judges are Ann and Peter Sansom. Prizes: Open - £300, £200, £100 plus other prizes. Children and Young People - booktokens. Categories: Open (ages 19 and over), Youth (ages 12 - 18), Children's (11 and unders).
Entry Fee: £5 per poem in the Open Category, Childrens and Youth - FREE
Contact:
All entries must be sent by post with a completed entry form to the address on the form.
For more information and to download an entryform please visit www.derby.ac.uk/buxtonpoetrycompetition.
The Times Stephen Spender Prize for Poetry in Translation | Closing Date: 01-Jun-12
Details:Three prizes in each of the Open and 18-and-under categories. The winners of the Open prizes will receive £1000 (first), £750 (second) and £500 (third); the winners of the under-18 prizes will win £250 (first), £150 (second) and £100 (third). There will be one prize (£100) awarded in a 14-and-under category. Each entry must comprise the following: the translation, the original poem, a commentary. Judges: Susan Bassnett, Edith Hall, Patrick McGuinness & George Szirtes. 60 lines maximum.
Entry Fee: £5 (Anyone eighteen or under on 1 June 2012 is exempt from this charge)
Contact:
The Times Stephen Spender Prize, The Stephen Spender Trust, 3 Old Wish Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4JX
Online entry and full details at http://www.stephen-spender.org/
Wirral Festival of Firsts Open Poetry Competition | Closing Date: 01-Jun-12
Details:3 Categories, each for poems up to 40 lines: (a) Open poetry competition. First prize £100, then 2 x £50 prizes; (b) Humourous poetry competition. Prizes as category (a); (c) Under 16s Poetry competition. First prize £50 in book vouchers. 4 x runners-up at £25.00 each. Adjudicators: Jan Dean, Andrew Rudd and Colin Watts.
Entry Fee: £3 per poem, £5 for 2 poems (Free for under 16s category)
Contact:
Full details at www.festivaloffirsts.co.uk
Wirral Festival of Firsts Poetry, 71 Alderley Road, Hoylake, CH47 2AU
Keats-Shelley Prize 2012 | Closing Date: 30-Jun-12
Details:For poems up to 40 lines on the theme of 'Gold'. Judges: John Hartley-Williams and Matthew Sweeney. Maximum of two poems per entrant. Full details and entry form on website.
Entry Fee: £5 per poem.
Contact:
Entries can be emailed in Microsoft Word format to:
susanna.seekings@talktalk.net
Postal entry: Keats-Shelley Competition, c/o Beaufort Montague Harris Solicitors, Old Bank House, 79 Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6AD.
Cheques payable to Keats-Shelley Memorial Association
www.keats-shelley.com
