Poetry Competitions
Poetry Competitions Intro
This page contains details of many national and international poetry competitions, contests, awards and prizes from all over the world, including Australia, Canada, England (and the rest of the UK), Ireland and the USA.
Last updated 1st October 2024
On this page, you will find details of peotry competitions suitable for poets of all ages and levels of capability. I recommend that you read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering.
PLEASE NOTE: Most of the poetry competitions listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. The country each publication is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to.
Do You Run Poetry Competitions?
If you run poetry competitions and would like your contest to be included in the lists below, please contact me providing all of the following information (please don't just send me a link - give the full details requested below in an email):
- How often you will be running the contest (eg, annually, quarterly, one-off)
- The name of your poetry competition
- A link to your website
- The country you are based in
- Closing date
- The date you announce winners
- Maximum word count or lines of poetry
- Entry fee
- Top prize
- Any other details, including how winning writers' poems will be published and any limitations regarding style, theme etc.
If you spot any mistakes, incorrect information or broken links on this page, please feel free to contact me - I do my best to fix any problems quickly.
This page is updated regularly throughout the year. I add new poetry competitions as I become aware of them and update mistakes users point out. I undertake a full update, checking every link, during December / January each year.
Featured Poetry Competitions
Do you run poetry competitions? Would you like it featured on this page? If so, please get in touch. This page attracts thousands of visits a month.
Featured Competition: FanStory
At FanStory new poetry contests are available.
You'll Enjoy
- Contests. Enter poetry contests that have cash prizes. Click here to view the poetry contest listing.
- Feedback. Sharing your poetry is fun. And you will get fans that will follow your writing. New to writing poetry? That's okay - all skill levels welcomed.
- Community. Read poetry and follow writers that you enjoy. Enjoy sharing your poetry. Click here for info.
Poetry Contest Highlights
Rhyming Poem: Share a poem that has a clear rhyme scheme. Cash Prize!
8 Words or Less Poem: Can you write a poem with only 8 words? Now is your chance to try this and have a chance at the cash prize.
5-7-5 Poetry: Write a 5-7-5! What's that. It's a poem with three lines. The first line has five syllables. The second line has seven. The third line has five again.
Free Verse Poem: Write a poem that is free form. Free verse does not follow any structure or style. Enter for your chance at the cash prize.
Two Line Poem: Share a poem with two lines. Each line must have exactly six syllables. There should be an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme. View the announcement for an example. Cash prize to the winner.
Haiku: A Haiku is often about nature. It's a short poem. Cash Prize!
2-4-2 Poetry Contest: Share a poem that only has three lines and eight syllables. Cash Prize!
Children's Poetry Contest: Write a poem for a child. Share a poem that your child or grandchild would enjoy. Cash Prize!
View the full list of poetry competitions.
Regular Poetry Competitions
This list contains information about poetry competitions run on a regular basis; daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, tri-annually etc. If you're new to poetry and have not yet been published, this is a good place to start.
| Regular Poetry Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Lines | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Regular Poetry Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anansi Archive Poetry Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 words | £1 | £20 | Any style / genre - they also run quarterly flash fiction and short fiction competitions |
| Cinnamon Press Poetry Prizes | Wales | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | They run a variety of literary awards that change regularly - check website for more details |
| Dark Poets Prize | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 200 words | £5 | £500 | They ask for dark poetry - the winner will have their poem/s published online and shared on social media, along with a dedicated spotlight on the competition page |
| FanStory Poetry Contests | USA | Weekly | Weekly | Varies | Varies | Varies | FanStory run a variety of contests including Haiku, Sonnet, 3 Line Poem and many more - they add new competitions on a weekly basis |
| Fiction Factory Poetry Competition | UK | Biannually | Biannually | 40 lines | £5 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - they offer additional prizes in the form of critiques and mentoring - short-listed poems published on website |
| F(r)iction Contest | USA | Biannually | Biannually | 3 pages | $10 | $300 | Any style, subject or theme - they also have creative nonfiction, flash fiction and short story categories - winners published online and considered for publication in print in the F(r)iction journal |
| Friedrich Naumann Foundation Poems of Liberty | Belgium | Biannually | Biannually | no limit | FREE | € 250 | Any style or subject but check website for current topics - winning poems published in Poems of Liberty - all selected poems will receive a 250 EUR - to find competition page, put "Poems of Liberty" followed by the current year into the website seach box |
| Letter Review Prize for Poetry | Australia | Bi-Monthly | Bi-Monthly | 70 lines | FREE | $333 | Any style / genre - there are three winners who each receive the $333 top prize - winners published at Letter Review - all entrants considered for publication |
| New Millennium Awards | USA | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - they've been running a variety of awards since 1996, so best to check website for current details |
| Templar Poetry Awards | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | They run lots of different competitions - most offer publication and prize money, but check website for current opportunities - contests include poetry collections, pamphlets and more |
| The League of Poets Weekly Contest | Nigeria | Weekly | Weekly | 40 lines | FREE | Varies | Any style or subject, but each week there is a different topic / theme, so check website for current details - prizes vary, but winners always receive certificates of writing distinction - they also accept flash fiction |
| Wax Poetry and Art Magazine's Poetry Contests | Canada | Varies | Varies | No max stated | FREE | Varies | Any style or subject, but themes vary, so check website for full details - top prize has been up to CAD $1,000 in the past - winners published via Wax Poetry and Art Network |
Prestigious / Big Prize Poetry Competitions
This list contains details of prestigious poetry competitions offering large monetary prizes in excess of £1,000 ($, € or other currency). Competition will be high - big prizes tend to attract more entries.
| Prestigious Poetry Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Lines | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Prestigious Poetry Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aesthetica Creative Writing Award | UK | August | December | 40 lines | £12 | £2,500 | Any style / genre - winning poems published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual - winners also receives poetry society membership, books and magazine subscriptions - they also accept short stories |
| Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | Varies | Any style but themed, so check website for this year's details - winner and two runners up invited to attend the next symposium - top prize has been up to £10,000 in the past |
| Anthology Magazine Poetry Award | Ireland | October | December | 40 lines | € 18 | € 1,000 | Any style, subject - winner published in Anthology Magazine and on the AM website |
| Arran Theatre and Arts Trust McLellan Poetry Prize | Scotland | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - top prize has been up to £1,500 in the past - usually closes around June / July |
| Arrowsmith Press Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry | USA | February | October | no max | $20 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - for full-length books of poems, hence no max wordcount - winner also receives other perks, so check website for full details |
| Bayou Magazine’s 'Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry' | USA | Varies | Varies | no max stated | $20 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winner published in and receives a free subscription to Bayou Magazine - all entries are considered for publication |
| Breakwater Review Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | no max stated | $10 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - all finalists considered for publication in the Breakwater Review - $10 fee allows you to submit up to 3 poems |
| Bridport Prize for Poems | UK | May | November | 42 lines | £10 | £5,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in the Bridport Prize anthology |
| Brighton & Hove Arts Council Sussex Poetry Competition | UK | October | November | 40 lines | £6 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website and invited to read at the festival - selected poems will be displayed on Brighton & Hove buses - when running, the competition details can usually be found at the top of homepage but you can also put "competition" into their website's search box - also run a competition for students |
| Caterpillar Poetry Prize | Ireland | March | June | no max stated | € 15 | € 1,000 | Any style, subject or theme but written for children aged 7 to 11 years of age - winner published in the Irish Times |
| Christopher Tower Poetry Prize Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 48 lines | FREE | £3,000 | Themed, so check website for current details - for 16 to 18 year olds in full time education - winners published on website |
| Coffee-House Poetry 'Troubadour Poetry Prize' | UK | Varies | Varies | 45 lines | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - top prize varies, but is always thousands of pounds + goodies - highest I've seen top prize is £5,000 - entry fee is usually around the £5/£6 mark but does vary |
| Creative Writing Ink Poetry Prize | Ireland | May | July | 42 lines | € 6 | € 1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - in addition to cash, winner recieves a free creative writing course and is published on their website - to find the competition page, look in the "Resources" section of their website |
| Forward Arts Foundation Prizes For Poetry | UK | Varies | October | NA | FREE | £10,000 | Prizes: 10K for best collection, 5K for best 1st collection, 1K for best single poem |
| Fresno State College of Arts Philip Levine Prize for Poetry | USA | Varies | Varies | 80 pages | Varies | $2,000 | Any style, subject or theme - in addition to cash prize, winner is published by Anhinga Press - to find the current competition page, put 'levine' into their website's search function - entry fee is usually around the $25 to $30 mark |
| Globe Soup Autumn Poetry Competition | UK | August | November | 50 lines | £8 | £1,000 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details |
| Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in the society’s annual Poetry Folio |
| Ledbury Poetry Festival Poetry Competition | UK | July | ? | 40 lines | £5.75 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners are offered the chance of reading at the Ledbury Poetry Festival - also run comps for children |
| Live Canon International Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | no max stated | Varies | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in anthology |
| Manchester Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 120 lines | £18 | £10,000 | Any style, subject or theme - for best collection of 3 to 5 poems with a collective maximum of 12o lines |
| Mairtín Crawford Award for Poetry and Short Stories | UK (Belfast) | May | Varies | 3 to 5 poems | £6 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners also receive a place on a writing retreat |
| Minds Shine Bright Confidence Writing Competition | Australia | March | August | 260 lines | $5 | $1,600 | Any style / genre but themed around confidence - multiple runner-up prizes - winning and commended entries published in anthology and winners will receive both a print and eBook version - runs biennially (every other year) – also open to flash fiction and short stories |
| Morrab Library's Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry | UK | July | October | 40 lines | £5 | £2,000 | Any style, subject or theme - there is an additional "Sonnet Prize" with a £1500 top prize - they also run a competition for children - runs every other year - to find the current competition page, look in the "What's On" section of the website |
| Moth Magazine Nature Writing Prize | Ireland | September | December | 4,000 words | €15 | €1,000 | Any style / genre but themed around nature: check website for full details -in addition to cash, winner receives a week's stay at a writing retreat - winners published in the Irish Times online - also accept fiction and non-fiction |
| Moth Poetry Prize | Ireland | December | Spring | no line limit | €15 | €6,000 | Any style, subject or theme - four shortlisted poems will be published in Irish Times online - they also offer generous prizes for runners up |
| Munster Literature Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition | Ireland | Varies | Varies | 16 to 24 pages | €25 | €1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winner will have a chapbook published and be given 25 free copies - winner offered the chance to read at the Cork International Poetry Festival |
| Munster Literature Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition | Ireland | November | Varies | 40 lines | €7 | €2,000 | Any style, subject or theme - published in winter edition of Southword Literary Journal - winner also receives a trip to the Cork International Poetry Festival and place on a writer’s retreat |
| Munster Literature Southword Editor's Poetry Award | Ireland | September | Varies | no line limit | €24 | €1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - you have to submit 3 poems - winner published in Southword and they receive a one-year free subscription |
| New Writers Poetry Competition | UK | July | October | 40 lines | £10 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - three winning poems published on website - £1 from each entry will be donated to First Story (England's leading creative writing charity for young people) |
| Omnidawn Poetry Contests | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | Varies | Varies | $1,000 to $3,000 | Any style or genre - 4 contests run every year with different requirements - 2 have a $1,000 prize, 2 have a $3,000 prize - winners published professionally in a chapbook |
| Poetry London Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 80 lines | £8 | £5,000 | Any style, subject or theme - generous cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd place poets - winners published in Poetry London magazine |
| Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize | UK | July | Varies | 3,000 | £12 | £1,000 | Any style / genre - winner published in Wasafiri Magazine - a single poetry entry can include up to three poems, which together total no more than 3,000 words - they also accept short stories and life writing |
| Robert Graves Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - run by University of Roehampton and Wimbledon BookFest - winners published in Poem Magazine - if there's no obvious link to the current competition, look in the 'News' section of their website - usually closes around July / August time |
| Room Magazine Poetry Contest | Canada | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | C$1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Room Magazine - entry includes subsciption to Room Magazine |
| Singapore Unbound Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize | Singapore / USA | May | July | 70 to 120 pages | $10 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - entrants must be of Asian heritage - look in the 'opportunities' section of the website to find the current competition details - winner also earns book publication in the USA and Singapore |
| TCK Publishing Poetry Awards | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - no dedicated award page, so type 'award' into the search function at the top of the homepage and all the current award details will come up |
| The Bedford Competition | UK | October | December / January | 40 lines | £8.50 / £6 for students | £1,500 | Any style, subject or theme - winning and shortlisted entries published in anthology - all profits, after prize money has been awarded, go to charities / projects that help children and adults improve their literary skills - also open to short stories |
| The Brain Charity's Liverpool Poetry Prize | UK | March | June | 40 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - £5 entry fee is a donation to The Brain Charity - to find the competition details, put "poetry prize" into the website search box |
| The New Guard Knightville Poetry Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | 150 lines | $22 | $1,500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in The New Guard |
| The Plough's Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award | USA | March | May | 50 lines | $5 | $2,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Plough Quarterly - free entry for subscribers - to find the competition details, click 'About Us' at the bottom of the homepage, then 'Submit Poetry' - entrants living outside the USA and Canada must email the UK office, see the ‘contact us' link on their subscription page |
| The Poetry Society National Poetry Competition | UK | October | February | 40 lines | £7 | £5,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winning poems maybe published - there are details of other prizes in the competition section of their website |
| TNQ Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Award | Canada | February | September | no limit | C$40 | C$1,000 | Any style, subject or theme, but poems should be inspired by a specific occasion - entry includes a subscription to TNQ magazine - winner published in The New Quarterly - short-listed winners are considered for publication in TNQ (paid at $50) |
| Trio International Poetry Competition | UK | October | November | 40 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme |
| Virginia Commonwealth University 'Levis Reading Prize' | USA | Varies | Autumn / Fall | no max / min 48 pages | FREE | $5,000 | Any style, subject or theme - for poetry collections (books) - winner invited on all expenses paid trip to give a public reading - to find the current competition details, put 'levis' into their website search function - usually closes January / February |
| Wells Festival of Literature International Poetry Competition | UK | June | October | 35 lines | £6 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - they also run a competition for young poets |
| Wigtown Poetry Competition | Scotland | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £6.50 | £1,500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Southlight Magazine |
| Winchester Poetry Prize | UK | July | October | 40 lines | £6 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winning, shortlisted and longlisted poems published in an anthology that is launched at Winchester Poetry Festival |
| Winning Writers Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest | USA | October | April | 250 lines | $22 | $3,500 | 2 top prizes of $3,500: one for a poem in any style and one for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style - winners published online |
| Winning Writers Wergle Flomp Humour Poetry Contest | USA | April | August | 250 lines | FREE | $2,000 | Any style, subject or theme but must be humorous - winners published online |
Annual Poetry Competitions
This table lists details of poetry competitions, contests, prizes and awards that run on a yearly basis.
| Annual Poetry Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Lines | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Annual Poetry Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemesia Arts Poetry Competition | France | April | July | 40 lines | € 6 | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - up to 25 selected poems will be published, including the winning poems |
| Australasian Association of Writing Programs Prizes | Australia | June | September | See notes | $20 | See notes | AAWP run a variety of writing competitions, please see below Emerging Writers' poetry prize: Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - 40 lines (lineated poetry) or 400 words (prose poetry) - top prize is a festival pass to Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) and accommodation for the duration of the festival + a one-year annual membership to the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) + fully subsidised conference fees for the AAWP conference + invite to read at the event - Meniscus Literary Journal will also consider work for publication Translators' Prize: For translations of 30 lines (poetry) or 3,000 words (prose) of entrant's own work translated into English - entries must be accompanied by a 'Translator's Statement of Intention' (up to 400 words) addressing the aims of the translation - prize is a festival pass to Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) and accommodation for the duration of the festival + a one-year annual membership to the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) + fully subsidised conference fees for the AAWP conference + invite to read at the event - winners considered for publication in Meniscus Literary Journal |
| Beaver Trust Nature and the Ecological Emergency International Poetry Competition | UK | May | September | 40 lines | £4 | £150 | Any style, subject but themed, so check website for current details - there are also a variety of runner up prizes - winners announced at an awards ceremony in Bradford on Avon |
| Better Than Starbucks Contests | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - they run a variety of contests, including sonnet and haiku, so check website for current details - winners published in print and online - prizes up to $350 in the past |
| Black in White Poetry Competition | UK | June | October | no limit | £1.50 | £250 | Any style or subject but themed, so check the website for current details - under 18s can enter for free - there’s a special prize for best under 18s poem - prize winning and up to 25 highly commended poems will be published in a Black in White anthology - winners are announced at the book launch event during Black History Month |
| Blandford Rotary Short Story & Poetry Competition | UK | September | November | 40 lines | £3.50 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - in addition to cash prizes, there is an award ceremony, cups, certificates, readings and other goodies - there are also categories for flash fiction, short stories and young writers - to find the current details put "competition" into their website's search box |
| Blue Mesa Review Poetry Contest | USA | August | October | 3 poems | $12 | $500 | Any style, subject or theme -winning poems published in the Blue Mesa Review |
| Boston Review Poetry Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | see notes | $20 | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winner published in the Boston Review - enter up to 5 poems, 10 pages max in total - top prize has been up to $1,000 in the past |
| Burnham Book Festival Writing Competition | UK | February | May | no max | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - entry is free for residents of Somerset & North Somerset - winners published in anthology - they also accept short stories and have categories for children |
| Cambrian Mountains Poetry Competition | Wales | November | January | 40 lines | £3.50 | £150 | Any style, subject or theme - three categories: best poem (English) £150 prize, best poem (Welsh) £150 prize and the Mid-Wales poetry prize, £100 prize - winners published in the Cambrian Mountains Society Journal and online - to find the competition page, type "competition" into the website's search box |
| Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - all shortlisted and longlisted entries published in an anthology - no dedicated page on website, so check 'News' section |
| Chesham Literary Festival Poetry Competition | UK | June | July | 40 lines | £3 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme but check website because they also have an optional suggested theme - winning poems published in anthology |
| Cheshire Prize for Literature | UK | January | June | 100 lines | FREE | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - entrants must have lived, worked or studied in Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington or Halton (UK) - winners published in anthology by the University of Chester Press - competition is usually run in 4 year cycle: short stories, poetry, children’s literature and then scriptwriting - on occasion they run all 4 categories at once - prizes vary; top prize has been up to £500 in the past - to find competition page, put "literature prize" into the website search function |
| Creative Future Writers' Award | UK | Varies | Varies | 42 lines | FREE | Varies | Any style / genre except children's or erotica and themed, so check website for full details - winners published in anthology - cash prize has been up to £100 in the past - deadline for submissions is usually around May / June - look in the 'what we do' section of their website to find competition details |
| Cultural Daily's Jack Grapes Poetry Prize | USA | August | October | no max stated | FREE | Varies | Any style or subject or theme - winner's published in Cultural Weekly - multiple cash prizes, top prize has been up to $500 in the past - no dedicated page on website, so put 'jack grapes' into their website's search function to see latest posts |
| Fosseway Writers Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | £50 | Any style or subject but themed so check website for current details - winners published on website - also run short story and flash fiction comps |
| Frances Browne Literary Festival Multilingual Poetry Competition | UK | August | October | no max | € 5 | € 250 | Any style or subject or theme - the contest is tri-lingual, open to entries in the English, Irish and Ulster-Scots languages - the top prize in each of the 3 language categories is €250 |
| Grey Hen Press Poetry Competition | UK | April | June | 40 lines | £3 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - entrants must be female and over 60 years old - winners published on the website |
| Hammond House International Literary Awards | UK | September | December | 40 lines | £10 | £100 | Any style / subject but themed so check website for current details - winning poems published by HH |
| Hastings Literary Festival Poetry Competition | UK | June | August | 40 lines | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - winners published in anthology |
| Indigo Dreams Publishing Poetry Prize | UK | March | May | 40 lines | £5 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - cash prizes for runners up - winners published in magazine |
| Ironbridge Festival of the Imagination Open Poetry Competition | UK | October | November | 35 lines | £4 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - run by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists, so the link takes you to their website |
| Letterkenny Literary Festival Poetry Competition | Ireland | September | October | 30 lines | FREE | £150 | Any style or subject but themed so check website for current details - five shortlisted entrants will be invited to read at the festival where the winner will be announced |
| Live Canon Poetry Collection Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | See notes | Varies | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - for full poetry collections - winners offered a publication contract by Live Canon Poetry Press |
| Live Canon Poetry Pamphlet Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | See notes | Varies | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - for pamphlets of between 18 and 35 poems - winners offered a publication contract by Live Canon Poetry Press |
| London Independent Short Story Prize (LISP) | UK | July | October | 40 lines | see notes | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - entry fee varies depending on how close to the deadline you submit, so best to check website for current details - they have multiple categories, including flash fiction, poetry, short story and screenplay - winners published in anthology |
| Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style but theme varies, so check website for current details - top prize has been up to £500 in the past - type 'competition' into their website's search function to find the latest details |
| Maria Edgeworth Literary Festival Competition | Ireland | March | April | 40 lines | € 5 | Varies | Any style / genre - also accept short stories - top prize has been up to €250 in the past - the link takes you to the 'Literary Festival' section of their website, where the competition details can usually be found |
| Minds Shine Bright Seasons Writing Competition | Australia | March | August | 260 lines | $5 | $500 | Any style / genre but themed around the seasons - multiple runner-up prizes - winning and commended entries published in anthology and winners will receive both a print and eBook version - runs biennially (every other year) – also open to flash fiction and short stories |
| Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in magazine and on website - doesn't run every year as they run loads of different writing contests so check website for current details |
| Never Such Innocence Poetry Competition | UK | February | April | 25 lines | FREE | See notes | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - for 9 to 18 year olds - open to poetry, art, speech and song - all participants receive a personalised certificate - winners work is published in a booklet and read at events |
| New Zealand Poetry Society International Poetry Competition | New Zealand | May | July | See notes | See notes | See notes | Any style or subject or theme - there two categories: Open, 32 lines max, entry fee $7 for members, $8 for non-members, top prize $600 / Haiku: entry fee $2 for members, $3 for non-members, top prize $200 - to find the competition details, put "competition" into the website's search box - they also have junior categories for children |
| Ó Bhéal Five Words Poetry Competition | Ireland | January | March | 50 lines | € 5 | € 750 | Any style or subject but themed around 5 words, so see website for current details - winning and short listed entries published in anthology |
| Passionfruit Review Poetry Prize | UK | October | November | 40 lines | £3 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - winner and shortlisted poems published in a special issue of The Passionfruit Review |
| Poetry Book Awards | Wales, UK | Varies | Varies | no max | £30 | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - for book length collections of poetry - cash prize has been up to £200 in the past - winner also receives PN Review subscription and their book is sent to Carcanet Press for consideration |
| Poetry on the Lake International Competition for the Silver Wyvern | Italy | Varies | Varies | 42 lines | Varies | Varies | Any style but themed, so check website for current details - they are based on an island in Lake Orta, Italy - winner receives cash and a silver wyvern - top prize has been up to €500 in the past - Poetry on the Lake run other poetry contests with varying line limits, fees and prizes, so check out their website - winners published on website and in anthology |
| Poetry Quarterly Annual Poetry Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | no max stated | $10 | $300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Poetry Quarterly |
| Poets and Players Competition | UK | March | May | 40 lines | £4 | £600 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website and invited to read at prize giving ceremony |
| Prole Laureate Poetry Competition | UK | December | Varies | no max | £3 | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners are published in print and online |
| Renard Press Poetry Competition | UK | June | September | 100 lines / 750 words | FREE | £200 | Any style, subject but themed so check website for current information - winners published in anthology - when the competition is running, you can find details on their website homepage |
| SaveAs Writers Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style or subject, but themed, so check website for current details - winners published in anthology - top prize has been up to £500 in the past |
| Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival Poetry Competition | UK | January | February | 30 lines | See notes | £200 | Any style or subject, but themed so check website for full details - 3 classes: up to 11 years old, 12–17 years old and above 18 years old - free entry for children, £4 for 18 and over category |
| Shooter Literary Magazine Poetry Competition | UK | November | December | 100 lines | £3.50 | £150 | Any style, subject or theme - winner published in print & online - all entrants receive an e-copy of the magazine which the winning poem appears in |
| SMK Contests | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | $100 | Any style or subject - they have multiple categories for flash fiction, poetry, short story, non-fiction, novel and more, so check website for full details |
| Soldiers' Arts Academy International Poetry Competition | UK | September | October | 40 lines | £4 | £50 | Any style, subject or theme - open to members of the military community (i.e. serving personnel, veterans and their families) - in addition to cash, winner also receives a selection of poetry books - winners published on website - to find the competition details, look in the 'Projects' section of their website |
| South Warwickshire Literary Festival Writing Competition | UK | March | April | 800 | £3.50 | £50 | Any style, subject or theme - winners offered the chance to read their work at the festival if they are able to attend - also open to fiction and non-fiction |
| Southport Writers' Circle International Poetry Competition | UK | April | June | 40 lines | £3 | £150 | Any style, subject or theme - winners may be published on the SWC website for 12 months, with permission |
| Suffolk Poetry Society Crabbe Poetry Competition | UK | June | October | 50 lines | £3 | £600 | Any style, subject or theme - generous prizes for runners up - winners' poems read at a celebratory awards event and published in anthology |
| The Heartland Review Press / Elizabethtown College Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize | USA | November | March | no max | $10 | $500 | Any style, subject or theme - entry fee allows you to submit up to 3 poems - finalists are published in The Heartland Review and receive a free copy - to find the competition details, look in the "Community" section of the Elizabethtown College website (at time of writing, under Quick Links) |
| The Latin Programme Poetry Competition | UK | December | February | 40 lines | £12 | £200 | Any style, subject but themed, so check website for current details - all proceeds from entry fees go towards the delivery of Latin lessons in London state schools |
| The League of Poets Anthology of Contemporary Writers Competition | Nigeria | September | ? | 14 lines | $2 | See notes | Any style or subject, but themed, so check website for current details - prize is publication for top 100 winners, certificates of participation and a free digital copy of the anthology - they also accept flash fiction |
| The London Magazine Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £10 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in London Magazine and online |
| The Phare WriteWords Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £6 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - also has flash fiction and short story categories - winners published in anthology |
| The Poetry Society Free Verse Prize | UK | March | April | 40 lines | £5 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winning poem published in Poetry News and included in the Free Verse programme, distributed to all attendees at the Poetry Book and Magazine Fair - the prize is run by the Poetry Society, in support of Free Verse - to find the competition page, put "free verse prize" into the website's search tool |
| Tim Saunders Publications' "The Paul Cave Prize for Children's Literature" | UK | February | March | 30 lines | £15 | £20 | Poems for children - winners published on website and in a book - winners receive a free printed copy of the book - also open to flash fiction and short stories |
| Tim Saunders Publications' "The Paul Cave Prize for Literature" | UK | September | November | 30 lines | £8 | £25 | Any style or genre - for novellas - winners published on website and receive a free copy of The Paul Cave Prize for Literature book - also open to flash fiction, novellas and short stories |
| Tom Neill's E. H. P. Barnard Poetry Prize | UK | March | June | 400 words | £2 | £100 | Any style or subject but themed so check website for current details - winner also receives a poem video, professionally performed, produced and promoted - the prize is hosted on Tom Neill's website |
| Tree2MyDoor Valentines Day Poetry Competition | UK | Valentine's Day | February | 150 words | FREE | See notes | Any style or subject but theme is Valentine's Day (love and romance) - open to UK residents only - winner receives £100 Tree2MyDoor gift voucher |
| Walk Listen Create's 'Write About Walking' Competition | UK | August | September | 250 words | € 9 | € 100 | Any style or genre but themed so check the website for full details - open to poetry and prose - winning stories are published in illustrated anthology by Sampson Low Publishers - to find the contest details, look in the "Awards & Calls" section of their website |
| Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition | UK | June | September | 50 lines | £5 | £600 | Any style or genre - runner up prizes include The Ware Sonnet Prize: £150 for the best sonnet submitted - winners published in anthology |
| Welsh Poetry Competition | Wales | Varies | Varies | 50 lines | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winners and 17 runners up published on website and in anthology - top prize has been up to £500 in the past |
| Wirral Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition | UK | May | July | 40 lines | £4 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - winner's published on the Wirral Poetry Festival website for a period of approximately 12 months |
| Wolverhampton Literary Festival Poetry Competition | UK | December | February | 40 lines | £4 | £400 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - winning and shortlisted poems may be published on the festival website and in an accompanying anthology |
| Write by the Sea Literary Festival Writing Competition (Poetry) | Ireland | June | September | 40 lines | € 10 | € 500 | Any style, subject or theme - they also have categories for memoir, short stories and flash fiction |
| Writers Bureau Limerick Competition | UK | April | June | no max stated | £5 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Freelance Market News - £5 entry is for up to 4 Limericks - they run other competitions throughout the year, so the focus of the competition page changes, depending on what is currently running |
| Writer's Relief WaterSedge Poetry Chapbook Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | 48 page book | $20 | $500 | Any style, subject or theme - entrants must reside in the USA - for books up to 48 pages in length with 1 poem per page - winner's chapbook published in print and eBook format |
| Writing East Midlands Aurora Prize for Writing | UK | June | October | 60 lines | £9 | £500 | Any style / genre - run in partnership with the Society of Authors - winners receive feedback on a piece of work of their choice from a literary agent (or Editor as appropriate) OR they can choose to receive a full pass to The Writers’ Conference 2023 instead - to find the prize details, look in the "For Writers" section of their website or put "aurora" into their website's search box - also accept short stories |
Poetry Competitions For Young Writers & Children
This list has now been moved to its own dedicated page to improve usability. You can see the young writer competitions page here. This resource lists writing and poetry competitions specifically for young adults and children.
There are sometimes other poetry opportunities for young writers listed in the one-off competitions lists below, or on the Flash Fiction competitions page. You can also find details of scholarships on my non-fiction contest page.
One-Off Poetry Competitions
This table will list one-off poetry competitions, poem writing contests, prizes and awards.
| One-Off Poetry Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Lines | Entry Fee | Top Prize | One-Off Poetry Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morecambe Poetry Festival Competition | UK | 4th August 2024 | Sep-24 | 50 lines | £4 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners may be published in festival anthology - run by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists so the link takes you to their website |
| No other one-off poetry competitions to list at present | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | More one-off poetry competitions coming soon... |
Other Poetry Competitions Lists
There are other websites that supply poetry competitions calendars. They are listed below (if you run one on your site, please get in touch):
- Poetry Kit run a regularly updated poetry competitions list
- Poetry Library list multiple poetry competitions with filters
- Poets & Writers list poetry writing competitions, writing contests, grants & awards
- The Poetry Society give details of some prestigious poetry competitions
- Trish Hopkinson - lists multiple poetry competitions and other publishing opportunities, including contests, mags and more
A History of Closed Poetry Competitions
This table contains a history of previously listed poetry competitions, contests prizes and awards that have closed.
| Poetry Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Lines | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Poetry Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Poem For Europe | UK | 31st July 2019 | October | 32 lines | £6 | £500 | Themed around Europe - winners published online and in print - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Academy Press Poetry Chap Book Contest | USA | 30th July 2021 | To be confirmed | 80 pages | FREE | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - three divisions: under 18s, collegiate any undergraduate, and emerging MFA students and poets with no prior books published - one winner per devision - prize is publication and 80% royalties - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Against the Grain Poetry Press Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | £5 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - deadline for submissions is usually around November / December - CLOSED 2020 |
| Ageless Authors Writing Contest | USA | July | September | No limit | $20 | $500 | Any style or subject but sometimes themed, so check website for current contest details - entrants must be aged 50 years or older - winning poems published in anthology - CLOSED 2020 |
| Anglica's Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - the best poems will be published in Anglica's Journal - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Artificium Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Artificium - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| Association of Christian Writers Writing Competitions | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | £3 | See notes | They run a variety of competitions (flash fiction, short story and poetry), so check website for current details - winners published in Christian Writers (circulation 700) - top prize: £25 book voucher - CLOSED, but they still run the odd one-off comp |
| Battered Moons Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | £5 | £700 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Battered Moons Poetry Pamphlet - run as part of the Poetry Swindon Festival - usually closes around May/June/July - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| Bournemouth Writing Festival's Poetry Competition | UK | 29th February 2024 | April 2024 | 30 lines | £5 | See notes | Any style but themed, so check website for full details - up to forty winners receive publication in an anthology and will be offered the chance to submit a collection of their work to publishers, Dithering Chaps - also open to flash fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival Poetry Competition | UK | 31st July 2017 | September | 600 words | FREE | £1,000 | Any style or genre but competition is themed, so check website for details - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Caerphilly Scribes Free Verse Competition | Wales | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | 30 lines | £5 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme, but no purple prose or schmaltz - winners published in Caerphilly Scribes Poetry Collection - each entry receives a short commentary from the judges - CLOSED 2016 |
| Cafe Aphra Poem of the Month | UK | Varies | Varies | 25 lines | FREE | None | Any style / genre - they feature at least one new poem on the first Monday of every month - always open to submissions - CLOSED 2019 |
| Cariad Marketing Living Well Poetry Competition | UK | 30th September 2019 | 6th December 2019 | 30 lines | £5 | £100 | Any style, subject but themed around 'living well' - winning and shortlisted poems will be printed in ‘Living Well Poetry’ which will be sold in aid of the Isabel Hospice - winner and finalists receive a copy of the book and be invited to read their work at an awards evening - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Charroux Poetry Prize | France | August | October | 40 lines | £5 | £200 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on website - NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Classical Association Poetry Competition | UK | 5th April 2024 | May-24 | 1,000 words | FREE | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - two categories: Original and Translation - they also have three different age categories: Junior (aged 11 and under), Senior (aged 12 to 18) and Open (aged 19 and above) - £200 top prize in each category with a total prize pot of £1,500 - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Clochoderick Poetry Competition | UK | January | March | 35 lines | £5 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Clochoderick bi-annual literary journal - WEBSITE NOT updated in ages and social media profiles gone, so removed listing 2019 |
| Cozy Cat Press Poetry Contest | USA | 1st July 2019 | 1st August 2019 | 2 pages | FREE | $100 | Any style or subject but themed so check website for full details - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Craigleigh Press Poetry Contest | Canada | 30th April 2016 | ? | 40 lines | $5 | $50 | Any or subject but the theme - 3 categories: A. Free Verse, B. Traditional Verse, C. Haiku - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Creagan Writers Circle 'The Layer Deeper' Poetry Contest | N. Ireland, UK | July | Autumn | 40 lines | FREE | £250 | Any style / genre, but for poems inspired by ancient Sanskrit texts and the work of Seamus Heaney so check website for full details - run in two rounds, second round is for poems of 70 lines max, again see website for full details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2021 |
| Creative Future Spotlight Books Competition | UK | 24th February 2019 | 1st April 2019 | 40-45pp. at 20 lines per page | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre except erotica or children's - open to writers from under-represented backgrounds (those who face barriers due to mental health, disability, identity or social circumstance) so see website for full guidelines - six writers will begiven 1:1 editorial support to shape their manuscripts and will be published in individual small books with international distribution - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Creative Writing Life Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 38 lines | FREE | £20 | Any style / genre - winner's published in CWL magazine - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| Crooked Quill Magazine Poetry Competition | England | 15th February 2015 | March | 20 lines | FREE | £20 | Any or subject but the theme is 'beginnings and time' - 1st prize is a £20 Amazon voucher - winners published in The Crooked Quill literary magazine -CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Crowvus Poetry Prize | UK | March | April | 50 lines | £3 | See notes | Any style, subject but themed or inspired by pictures, so see website for full details - 25 shortlisted poems published in an anthology - top prize is 40% of the total entry fees - they run short story comps too - NO LONGER MENTIONED on website, so removed listing 2019 |
| Cyberworld Publishing 'The Good Life in Galicia' Competition | Galicia, Spain | August | Varies | 60 lines | FREE | € 15 | Any style, subject or theme but must be about Galicia in a significant way - winners published in anthology - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Dandy Writers' Writing Contests | USA | Monthly | Monthly | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - they run a variety of regular contests for short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry and more, so check website for full details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| David Burland Poetry Prize | UK | July | August | 40 lines | £8 | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in anthology Poetic Art / L’Art Poétique - didn't run in 2018, but plan to run 2019, so check website for updates - NOT RUN SINCE 2017, so removed listing 2020 |
| Ekphrastic Review 'Bird Watching' Poetry and Flash Fiction Contest | Canada | 1st May 2021 | 1st June 2021 | 1,000 words | $10 | $100 | Themed: entry $10 CAD for ebook of prompts (poems must be sparked by one of the artworks in the ebook) - selected works published on website, one winner announced from each category - also open to flash fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Enchanted Forest Publishing Love Comes Quickly Poetry Competition | UK | 31st March 2021 | 16th June 2021 | 500 words | £5 | £10 | Any style but theme is love - winners published in anthology and receive a free eBook copy - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Enizagam Literary Contest for Poetry | USA | Varies | Varies | 10 pages | $20 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in and receive 2 free copies of Enizagam Journal, winners also nominated for Pushcart Prize - WEBSITE NOT UPDATED SINCE MARCH 2019, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Europe Tutorial Academy 'Poetry for Our Times' | Germany | 30th June 2021 | July 2021 | Two pages max | FREE | See notes | For collections of one to three poems on the theme of Poetry for Our Times - entrants must be aged bewteen 16 and 19 - winners published on website and receive a 1 year subscription to Poetry Magazine (Poetry Foundation) and a Poetry Book Society Gift Card for £50 - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Fire River Poets Open Poetry Competition | UK | October | January | 40 lines | £4 | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners invited to take part in a reading event held in Taunton- WESBITE DISAPPEARED 2017 |
| First Writer International Poetry Competition | England | October | ? | 30 lines | £3 | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in First Writer Magazine - CLOSED 2016 after running for 15 years |
| Five Aspects Poetry Competition | UK | December | February | 40 lines | £4 | £150 | Any style or subject bu themed, so check website for current details - many cash prizes, including awards for younger writers - all winners invited to attend workshops with young people, to share their creative processes - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Fly on the Wall Press 'Planet in Peril' Poetry, Photography and Art Competition | UK | 28th April 2019 | May | See notes | See notes | £50 | Any style or subject - no max, but 40 lines recommended - entry: adult £5, student £3, free sponsored entries for anyone under 18 or unwaged - winners published in the anthology Planet in Peril which will support charity - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Fun Palaces: WriteScience Poem Competition | UK | July | September | 250 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed around science - open to residents of the UK only - winners published on website and performed at reading events - competition is judged by a very prestigious panel - they also accept short stories - NOT RUN SINCE 2016, so removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| Geraldine Taylor's 'Words of Inspiration' Poetry Contest | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 40 lines | £4.99 | £250 | Any style / subject but themed around inspiration - winners published on website and in Creative Collective Anthology Series - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing Jan 2018 |
| Girton College Jane Martin Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - for those aged between 18 and 30 years of age, living in the UK - no dedictaed competition page, so look in the 'events' section of their website to find details of the current competition - top prize has been up to £700 in the past - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Giving Them Wings Prize | South Africa | Bi-Annual | Bi-Annual | 30 lines | $3 | $400 | Any style, subject or theme - winners featured in anthology - they also accept short stories - to find details of the competition, go to the 'Donate' section of their website - PRIZE NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Graffiti Writing Magazine Poetry Competition | UK | Bi-Annual | Bi-Annual | Varies | £4 | £100 | Any style or subject but themes vary - winners published in Graffiti Magazine - they don't have a website, so I have linked to their Facebook page where you can find details of how to enter - they also run a prose competition - NOT PUBLISHED SINCE 2021, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Grindstone International Poetry Prize | UK | August | November | 40 lines | £10 | £500 | Any style / subject or theme - every entrant receives editorial feedback - all shortlisted poets published in Grindstone's year-end anthology and they also receive an invite to participate in the Atmos Collections - POETRY COMP NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update - they do still run prose comps |
| Grindstone Poetry Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 40 lines | Varies | Varies | Any style / subject but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on website CLOSED, replaced by annual competition - see lists above |
| Gulf Stream Summer Contest | USA | August | September | 5 poems | $7 | $100 | Any style / subject or theme - winners published in Gulf Stream Lit Mag - also accept fiction and non-fiction - NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Hertford Museum's Love Hertford Poetry & Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 19th June 2023 | 5th October 2023 | 30 lines | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - winners published in the Love Hertford book, sold in aid of the Museum - shortlisted writers receive a copy of the book and are invited to read their work at an awards evening - also open to flash fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Horse Rider Poetry International Poetry Competition | Republic of Serbia | Varies | Varies | 26 lines | $8 | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - prizes vary from cash to cameras to T-shirts and more - winners published in printed anthology and receive a free copy - run on Facebook rather than a website, so link takes you to their FB page - PAGE INACTIVE, so removed listing during 2020 update |
| Hourglass Literary Magazine Best Poem Award | Bosnia | April | September | 3,500 words | $15 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Hourglass Literary Magazine - entry fee covers up to 3 poems - NOT RUN SINCE 2017, so removed listing 2019 |
| Humanaagerie Anthology from Eibonvale Press | UK | 31st May 2018 | September | 60 lines | FREE | £5 | For 'liminal' work; pieces that would be classed as 'Slipstream'; work that has a speculative or surreal element - edited by Sarah Doyle and Allen Ashley - selected works will be published in the Humanaagerie anthology CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Iceland Writers Retreat Writing Contest | Iceland | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current theme - prize is usually a place on a writing retreat - comps are sometimes for fiction, sometimes poetry and sometimes non-fiction - look at 'News & Events' at bottom or homepage or in 'About IWR' section of website then 'News' to find latest competition details - CONTEST NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Inexsilio (The Exiles) - The Lost Country Poetry Competition | USA | Varies | Varies | 150 lines* | FREE | $50 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in The Lost Country Journal - sometimes run annually, sometimes bi-annually - 150 lines is a soft limit, if the editors receive an excellent 200 line poem (for example), they will consider publishing it - WEBSITE NOT UPDATED FOR 2 YEARS, so removed from lists 2018 |
| Info 4 Writers Poetry Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 125 lines | FREE | £15 | Any style / genre but themed so check website for current details - winners published on website - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| Into the Void Poetry Competition | Canada | Varies | Varies | 60 lines | $6 | $500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - founded in Ireland, moved to Canada in 2017 - NOT RUN IN 3 YEARS, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Irish Arts & Writers Festival Writing Competition | USA | September | October | 50 lines | $10 | $600 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| La Piccioletta Barca Competition | UK | September | October | No limit | $10 | $400 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - also open to short stories - winners published in competition issue of the La Piccioletta Barca journal - NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Legacy of Love Celebrating Animals and Nature Poetry Competition | UK | 31st July 2021 | 20th August 2021 | 40 lines | £8 | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - prize is publication in a coffee style book called Legacy of Love alongside poems by Virginia Mckenna and Pam Ayres - winners also receive a copy of the book (worth £40) - look in the Poetry section of the website to find the competition details - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Letter Review Prize for Poetry | Australia | 31st October 2022 | December 2022 | 70 lines | $20 | $1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Letter Review - longlisted poets will have the opportunity to discuss publication too - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Lichfield Cathedral Poetry Competition, 'The Word' | UK | October | November | 24 lines | FREE | £100 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - to find the competition page, go to the 'What's On' section of the website in the main navigation - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Link Age Southwark Writing Competition | UK | 31st August 2018 | October | 40 lines | See notes | £200 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for details - free entry for ages 11 to 17, £5 for adults - winners published on blog and invited to award ceremony in London CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Littoral Press Nature Poetry Collection Competition | UK | November | February | 50 page min / 100 page max | £20 | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - winner's collection published in print - winner receives 50 copies of their book - COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary Poetry Competition | UK | May | August | 40 lines | £5 | 30% of total entry fees | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for details - top prize is usually around £250 - 50% of entry fees will be used for the care of the animals at the sanctuary - to find competition details, go to the 'News and Events' section of the website - CLOSED 2024, but may reopen at a later date |
| Magic Oxygen Poetry Prize | UK | December | February | 50 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners publsihed in anthology - CLOSED 2019 |
| MK LitFest Green Spaces in the City: Flash Fiction and Poetry Competition | UK | 10th February 2023 | 17th March 2023 | 500 words | FREE | £25 | Any style / genre but themed around green spaces in cities - two age categories: 14–19 and over 20 - winning stories will be published as a printed magazine and e-book - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| MK LitFest Poetry Competition | UK | 31st May 2020 | 31st August 2020 | 14 lines | FREE | £25 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for details - entrants must live in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire or Bedfordshire UK - two age categories: 14 to 19 and over 20 - also open to flash fiction - at least 20 poems and 20 stories published in anthology - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Momaya Poetry Competition | UK & USA | October | November | 1,500 words | £7 | £70 ($100) | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - winners published in the Momaya Poetry Review - CLOSED 2020 |
| Mono Fiction 'Sanity' Poetry Competition | UK | 1st September 2021 | September | 40 lines | £6 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in April edition of Mono - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| MONO. Poetry Prize | UK | August | September | 14 lines | £6 | £650 | Any style, subject or theme - first prize winner published in Mono's journal, 3 x highly commended published on the blog - winners will be entered into next year's Forward Prize, which is not open to general submissions - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Newcastle Univerity International Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | Varies | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - large cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd place winners - prizewinners invited to award ceremony at Newcastle Poetry Festival - NOT RUN SINCE 2017, so removed listing 2019 |
| Nothing in the Rulebook's 'Haikus for the NHS' | UK | 20th February 2017 | 28th February 2017 | Haiku | FREE | £25 | Any style or subject but the theme is the UK's National Health Service and the tradition of poetry as protest - long and shortlisted haikus published on website - winning haikus will also be printed and distributed at NHS demonstration in London on 4 March - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Nowhere.Ink's $100 Weekly Writing Contest | USA | Weekly | Weekly | 500 words | $2 | $100 | Any style / subject but themed, so check website for current details - winner published on website - winner also receives a copy of The Literary Hack, a quarterly magazine, and considered for publication in mag - WEBSITE not updated since June 2018, so removed listing 2019 |
| Overton Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 300 lines | £12 | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - run through Loughborough University in memory of professor Bill Overton - first place published in chapbook, runners up receive book tokens - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Oxford Canal Festival Poetry Competition: “the ways of water” | UK | 7th July 2024 | September 2024 | 40 lines | £5 | £100 | Theme: "the ways of water" - winner also receives a 1-hour editing and feedback session with multi-award-winning poet and editor Vanessa Lampert - winners invited to read at the Oxford Canal Festival, September 21st 2024 - winning poems published on the Oxford Canal Heritage website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Oxford Festival of the Arts Poetry Live | UK | Varies | Varies | no max stated | FREE | See notes | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - no permanent link, so go to the 'Become a Sponsor' section of the website and look in the 'Participation Projects' section - deadline for subs is usually around April / May - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Pangolin Review Poetry Prize | Mauritius | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / subject or theme - winners published in a special Winners’ Corner - top prize has been up to $400 in the past - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Parkinson's Art Charity Poetry Competition | UK | October | ? | 40 lines | £8 | £500 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - proceeds go to Parkinson's research - competition details can be found under 'events' on the homepage - COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition | USA | May | September | 750 words | Varies | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - winners might be published - top prize has been up to $1,000 in past but does vary - entry fee usually between $15 and $25 - sometimes run a poetry collection prize too - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Poetic Republic Poetry Competition | England | April | ? | 42 lines | £7 | £2,000 | Any style, subject or theme - participants read each other's work and effectively judge the competition, see link for details - winners and published in eBook containing 48 poems and most interesting comments from website - NOT RUN SINCE 2015, so removed listing Jan 2018 |
| Poetry Book Society Poetry Prizes | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - free entry to club members - check prizes section of the website for current prize on offer - PRIZE SECTION NO LONGER ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Poetry on the Lake Haiku Competition | Italy | 31st May 2023 | 15th July 2023 | no max | € 4 | € 100 | Any style, subject or theme - one entry can include up to 5 haiku - up to 10 winners published in HQ Poetry Magazine (if author gives permission), edited by Kevin Bailey who is also the judge - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Poetry Pulse Annual Poetry Competition | UK | June | August | 42 lines | £5 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website and in Poetry Pulse Annual Review - they also run monthly comps - NOT RUN SINCE 2018, so removed listing 2020 |
| Poets & Players Reemergence Prize | UK | 16th November 2020 | 18th December 2020 | 40 lines | £2 | £300 | Any style but theme is REEMERGENCE (reemerge/reemerging) winning poet invited to read their poem at a Poets & Players event in 2021 (date to be confirmed) - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists (PPP) Poetry Competition | UK | 30th June 2023 | 31st July 2023 | 40 lines | £3 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners might be published on their website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Prole Poetry Pamphlet Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | no max stated | £12 | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - top prize has been up to £400 in the past - in addition to cash, winner also receives 25 copies of their book which will be sold through Prole’s website - copies of the book will be sent out for review - they also run a poetry comp for single poems with a prize that has been up to £300 in the past - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2023 |
| Published Fantasy Authors Poetry/Song Competition | USA | 20th December 2019 | 20th February 2020 | 40 lines | FREE | $250 | This competition is a unique opportunity to have your literary work set to music and released on a professional album, including a cash prize and a royalty arrangement - open to published authors in the fantasy genre, whose works include original song lyrics - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Radix Media Own Voices Chapbook Prize | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Competition is different each year - top prize has been up to $500 in the past - the link takes you to the 'Blog' section of their website, where you can usually find the current competition details - NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| READ Foundation Writing Competition | UK | 10th October 2018 | 13th October 2018 | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - winner publicly displayed across hundreds of schools and read by tens of thousands of children, plus feedback from writer Qaisra Shahraz - also accept flash fiction and non-fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Renard Press New Beginnings Poetry Competition | UK | 21st May 2021 (Diversity Day) | 25th June 2021 | 100 lines / 750 words | FREE | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in anthology due to be released in September - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Renard Press - Spectrum: Poetry Celebrating Identity | UK | 21st May 2022 | ? | 100 lines / 750 words | FREE | £200 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in anthology due to be released in October - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Segora Poetry Competition | UK | June | July | 50 lines | £5 | £300 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - CLOSED 2022 |
| Sentinel Annual Poetry Competition | England | January | March | 60 lines | £5 | £700 | Any style, subject or theme - winners pubished in anthology - lots of runner-up cash prizes - WEBSITE NOT UPDATED SINCE 2015, so listing removed 2017 |
| Sentinel Literary Poetry Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 50 lines | £5 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Sentinel Literary Magazine - CLOSED, website disappeared 2023 |
| Sin Young Park's Call for Poem for Choral Piece | USA | 26th March 2022 | April 2022 | 32 lines | FREE | $150 | Any style, subject but theme should be related to women, justice, human rights, empowerment, social issues, or similar - poems must be less than 10 words per line - Sin is a composer looking for a poem to be the cornerstone of a choral piece, which will be premiered by a respectable choral ensemble next spring in Boston, MA, USA - send entries to: happymarienjohn@gmail.com - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Soldier's Arts Academy International Poetry Competition | UK | September | October | 40 lines | See notes | £50 | Any style, subject or theme but entrants must have some connection with the military - 2 categories: adults and young people aged 12 to 17 - adult entry fee £4, young people enter free - adult prize is cash plus poetry books, young people's prize is just poetry books - winners published on website - to find the competition details, look in the 'Projects' section of the website - COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| South Warwickshire Literary Festival Creative Writing Competition | UK | 30th June 2023 | 23rd September 2023 | 40 lines | £3 | £50 | Any style, subject or theme - winner offered the chance to read their poem at the festival if they are able to attend - also open to fiction and non-fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis Humorous Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | no max stated | FREE | See notes | Any style, subject or theme but dedicated to the serious art of writing funny poems - no monetary prize, but winners published on the website - NO NEW POSTS SINCE 2018, so removed listing 2020 |
| Stafford LitFest Writing Competition | UK | February | March | 40 lines | £5 | £50 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - prize paid in vouchers - also accept flash fiction and run children's comp for 11 to 15 year-olds with free entry and 3 x £10 voucher prizes - look in the 'Events/Blog' section of their website to find competition details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2021 |
| Streetcake Experimental Writing Prize | UK | 14th June 2019 | Summer 2019 | 3 x A4 pages | £1 | See notes | Any style or subject - two age bands (18-21 and 22-26) - winners receive personalised mentoring sessions - other prizes include personalised feedback and book bundles - winners published online and in a hardcopy anthology - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Stroud Book Festival Poetry Competition | UK | September | October | 40 lines | £5 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners announced at the festival - did not run in 2020 or 2021 due to pandemic, hopeing to launch again in 2022 - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Sydney Gardens Tree Weekender Writing Competition | UK | 1st November 2021 | November 2021 | 250 | FREE | £50 book token | Any style or genre but themed around trees in parks and public gardens - winners published on website and as geo-located audio stories located in Bath, UK, and within Sydney Gardens - lots of other perks, so check website for more details - they also accept flash fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Thapasvi Manoharam Publications Contest | India | 1st September 2022 | September 2022 | 25 lines | FREE | ₹500 | Any style or subject, but themed, so check website for full details - they accept entries in English - site is not presented in English, so use Google Translate to view it - they also accept short stories, up to 1,500 words - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| The Enfield Poets’ Poetry Competition | UK | 7th March 2020 | by 31st March 2020 | 50 lines | £4 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website and invited to read their poems at prize giving ceremony - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| The Plough Poetry Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | £1,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website - WEBISTE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| The University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor's International Poetry Prize | Australia | June | October | 50 lines | $25 | $15,000 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in the annual Prize Anthology in print and online, for which every contributor is paid $50 - PRIZE NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| The Woolf Poetry Competition | Switzerland | September | December | 500 words | 10 CHF | 150 CHF | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for current details - 150 CHF is about £115 or $150 - three winning poems published in The Woolf - NOT RUN SINCE 2018, so removed listing 2020 |
| These Fragile Lilacs 2018 Chapbook Competition | USA | 1st April 2018 | 14th April 2018 | 16 pages | $12 | $100 | Any style or subject - winner also receives 20 free printed copies of their chapbook - good prizes for 2nd and 3rd place entries too - CLOSED was a one off |
| Thinkerbeat 'Reels' and 'Spinners' Awards | USA | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | Varies | FREE | $25 | For song lyrics and animations (poets encouraged to enter, hence it's listed here) - winning lyrics will be recorded as a song, and winning scripts annimated - CLOSED 2015 |
| Those That Breathe Environmental Writing Competition | UK | Monthly during 2021 | Monthly during 2021 | Varies | £4 | See notes | Any style or subject, but themed so check website for details - the competition is open from the 1st until the 25th of each month during 2021 - proceeds from entry fees are donated to charities that are trying to make a difference to climate change - winners published on website and in anthology in 2022 - open to poetry, short stories, flash fiction and non-fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Torbay Festival of Poetry Open Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style, subject or theme - winner also receives free weekend pass for the poetry festival including accommodation - check 'competitions' section of the website for current details as it seems to change every year - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Torriano Poetry Competition | England | January | March | 40 lines | £3 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - Winning poets will be offered featured readings at prize-giving ceremony in April - CONTEST NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so listing removed 2017 |
| Urban Tree Festival Poetry Competition | UK / Belgium | March | May | 250 words | € 6 | € 200 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for details - winner becomes writer in residence for the next Urban Tree festival - winners published in illustrated anthology and each author included receives complementary copies - also accept flash fiction and non-fiction - CLOSED 2024 |
| Vênoor Living - Poetry in Design Award | UK | 31st August 2018 | 9th September 2018 | 25 lines | FREE | £50 | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for details - winner receives cash and vouchers - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Victorina Press Poetry Contest | UK | February | ? | 40 lines | £5 | £500 | Any style or subject but themed so check website for current details - doesn't always run every year, but is an ongoing contest - run in collaboration with Voces-Voices Festival - winners published by Victorina Press - entries accepted in English, Spanish or Spanglish - CLOSED 2024 |
| Voice of the Poet, Africa | Nigeria | November | November | 200 words | FREE | None listed | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in anthology and online - for African poets only, see website for full definition - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Walk Listen Create's 'Write About Walking and Listening' Competition | Belgium | 8th August 2021 | September | 250 | € 6 | See notes | Any style or genre but themed about walking and listening - open to poetry and prose - winner becomes Writer in Residence for Walk Listen Create's Sound Walk in September 2022 - winning stories are published in a limited edition illustrated anthology by Sampson Low Publishers, and made available as an audio book - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Walk Listen Create Poetry and Prose Writing Competition "Write About Walking Home" | UK | 31st January 2022 | April / September 2022 | 250 words | € 6 | See notes | Any style or subject, but theme is "walking home" - shortlisted writers will be included in an illustrated limited edition chapbook - top prize: Writer in Residence for Walk Listen Create 2022/3, silver membership worth €50, bespoke artwork by Alban Low - they also accept flash fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Wanton Fuckery Poetry Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 1 page | FREE | See notes | Any style or subject but themed, so check website for details - winner receives a packet of Hobnobs and a drawing - winners published on website - WEBSITE NOT UPDATED since 2018, so removed listing 2019 side not... I designed their logo for them - I received a packet of hobnobs as payment |
| Wenlock Poetry Festival Children & Young People's Poetry Competition | UK | March | April | ? | ? | ? | Any style or subject but themed so check website for current details - winners published on website - 3 age groups; under 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12 - NO LONGER mentioned on website, so removed listing 2019 |
| Wenlock Poetry Festival Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 40 lines | £5 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published on website and invited to perform their poems at the festival - NO LONGER mentioned on website, so removed listing 2019 |
| Woven Tale Press Poetry Competition | USA | 15th September 2018 | October 2018 | 5 poems | $25 | See notes | Any style, subject or theme - top prize is a week long writing retreat in the Hamptons, NY - cash prizes for runners up - winners published in Woven Tale Press magazine CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Writers' Forum Poetry Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 40 lines | £7 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - winners published in Writers' Forum magazine - CLOSED 2023 |
| Writing Maps A3 Review Poetry Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 150 words | $5 | £250 | Any style, subject or theme - each month, two entries win publication in the magazine - three overall winning entries receive cash prizes - COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Writing Times Poetry Competition | UK | December | March | 80 lines | £3 | £50 | Any style, subject but themed, so check website for current theme - winners published in the Writing Times along with an author feature - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2017 |
| Wundor Editions Poetry Contest | UK | Varies | Varies | no max stated | £5 | £500 | Any style or subject - no line limit on poems - winner strongly considered for print publication - usually runs once a year, but dates change and they sometimes run photography competitions too - NOT RUN SINCE 2018, so removed listing 2020 |
| Year of Listening Competition | Scotland | 28th October 2016 | 11th November 2016 | 40 lines | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre but themed around 'What does listening mean to you?' - top prize is an MP3 player - winner is published on the website and in printed publications - CLOSED, was a one-off |
More Writing Competition Lists
I hope you found this poetry competitions list helpful. You can find lots of other writing contest lists and other publishing opportunities by looking at the main writing competitions page, which contains links to all the resources on that topic.
More Writing Advice
I hope you found this "Poetry Competitions" page helpful. You can find lots of other publication opportunities and writing tips in the Advice section of this website.
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