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Please Note The information given here is for GUIDANCE ONLY. While every effort is made to ensure that it is accurate, before entering any listed competition you should obtain full rules and an entry form from the organisers. Information is provided by the organisers of the competitions and we cannot accept any liability for its accuracy.
* TO GET COMPETITION INFORMATION MONTHLT BY EMAIL |
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| 14th July 2026 |
1st £100 entry £2 |
A project in memory of the late Robin Lloyd-Jones. In
conjunction with a number of other organisations for whom Robin
campaigned, including Scottish PEN, and the FWS, Dove Tales is
holding a poetry competition about the effects of war on the
environment and how wars are being justified by leaders fighting
not for principle but for control of the earth's resources. |
| 15th July 2026 |
1st £300 entry £5 |
The Shelley Memorial Poetry Competition 2026 Closing date: Wed 15 Jul 2026 The theme of the 2026 competition is Liberty. Judge: Performance poet, Bassie Gracie First Prize : £ 300 Second Prize : £ 200 nn Third Prize: £ 100 The Sussex Cup will be awarded to the best poem from a Sussex-based poet See https://www.shelleymemorialproject.co.uk/competition-2026 |
| 15th July 2026 |
1st £1000 entry £10 |
The New Writers Poetry Competition 2026 Now open to poets anywhere in the world. Poets may submit poems of up to 42 lines. Entries must be previously unpublished, written in the English language, and can be on any theme or subject. There should be no potentially libellous material contained within any entries or anything that is under copyright. There is a cash prize of £1,000 for first prize, and four runners-up prizes of £100 each. The top five poets will also have their poems published on the New Writers website and in the next issue of the New Writers Anthology. Judge: JLM Morton see - New Writers Poetry Competition 2026 - NewWriters.org.uk | 15 July 2026 Deadline |
| 28th July 2026 |
1st £300 entry £4 |
The Morecambe Poetry Festival competition Now open to poets worldwide, welcoming poems on any and every subject. Judge: Jackie Kay First prize: £300 Second prize: £125 Third prize: £25 In addition, entrants living in a LA3 or LA4 postcode will be eligible for a local prize of £50. Open to poets aged 16 and over. See Morecambe Poetry Competition 2026 – Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists |
| 29th July 2026 |
1st £100 entry free |
The Green Dragon Guild Poetry Prize 2026 Now open for submissions on the theme of “Chimeras”. This competition is open to UK‑based fantasy or historical‑fiction authors or poets writing original lyrics suitable for musical setting. Previously published or unpublished works may be entered. Works should be an appropriate length for setting to approximately 3 minutes of music. The winning poet will receive a cash prize of £100 and will have their work set to music by composer David Yardley, which will performed by professional musicians at the “Of Carols & Chimeras” concert on Friday, 20th of November 2026. Judging Panel: Anne Casey, Lucy Holland, Vic James, and David Yardley. See Green Dragon Guild of London Poetry Prize 2026 - The Music of David Yardley |
| 31st July 2026 |
1st £1000 entry £7 |
Winchester Poetry Prize 2026 Poems entered can be on any theme, and in any form. They must be under 40 lines and written in English. Entries are accepted via email or post. 1st prize: £1000 2nd prize: £500 3rd prize: £250 Judge: Julia Copus The Kathryn Bevis Prize will be awarded for the best poem entered by a Hampshire-based poet. The longlist will be announced mid September, with winners announced live at a special prize-giving ceremony as part of Winchester Poetry Day at The ARC, Winchester on Saturday 10 October 2026. See https://www.winchesterpoetryfestival.org/prize |
| 31st July 2026 |
1st Publication entry £5 |
The Mills Archive Trust Inviting submissions of unpublished, original poems on the theme of “Milling.” Poems must be previously unpublished, written in the English language, and not exceed 40 lines. Winning entries will be featured in the official newsletter, across social media, and published in the November issue of the bi-annual magazine, Mill Memories. Judge: Dr Katherine Meehan See Poetry Competition – The Mills Archive |
| 31st July 2026 |
1st Publication entry £12.50 |
Overton Poetry Prize The Department of English at Loughborough University is offering a prize for a sequence of poems in memory of Professor Bill Overton (1946-2012). Poems entered can be on any subject and be up to 300 lines. Publication of the winning sequence in chapbook form (100 copies, of which 50 go to the winning poet). Judge: Dr Kerry Featherstone and Elvire Roberts See Overton Poetry Prize | English | Loughborough University |
| 22nd August 2026 |
1st £300 entry £6 |
Clevedon Litfest Now open for submissions for their 4th annual Poetry Award. Poems may be on any theme of subject, up to 40 lines. There is a cash prize of £300 (1st), £100 (2nd), and £50 (3rd). Judges: Isabel White and Paul Truan see poetry writing competition 2026 |
| 31st August 2026 |
1st £500 entry £4 |
Enfield Poets’ Poetry Competition 2026. Judge: Hannah Copley Prizes: £500 (1st), £250 (2nd), £125 (3rd) Poems can be on any subject and must have a title. Maximum 50 lines in length. Prizes will be awarded at the Enfield Poets’ Literary Festival, to be held on 26 & 27 September 2026 at Forty Hall, Enfield, headlined by Patience Agbabi. See Poetry Competition 2026 – ENFIELD POETS |
| 30th September 2026 |
1st £500 entry £8.50 |
The Bedford Competition Competition open between June 30th -
September 30th 2026 Entry open to those aged 17 and over. Maximum 300 word limit Single prize of £500 for the winner Entry fee £8.50 per entry or three
entries for £17. Reduced rate for students. |
| 30th September 2026 |
1st Published booklet entry £10 |
Dithering Chaps is now open for submissions for
their chapbook competition. Entrants are invited to submit a ten-page sample of poems, along with a 200-word treatment explaining the vision behind their collection (which should be roughly 30-60 pages in total). The shortlist will be announced by mid-October 2026, and the winning poet will be chosen during the following month. The winner will be published in May 2027 and receive royalties of 25% on all sales income. Poets who have not previously published a full poetry collection will also automatically be considered for the First Collection category. The choice of best poet in this category for the 2026 calendar year will be announced in early January 2027. see Submissions Guidelines Dithering Chaps Press Independent Poetry Publisher — Dithering Chaps |
| 30th September 2026 |
1st £200 entry £4 |
SaveAs Writers is inviting poets to submit work
on the theme of “Lines of Communication” for a competition
celebrating 150 years since first ever telephone call made by
Alexander Graham Bell. There are cash prizes of £200 (1st), £100 (2nd), and £50 (3rd). Submissions can be 60 lines max and from poets within and outside the UK. Judges: Derek and Mary Anne Smith Sellengory. The choice of best poet in this category for the 2026 calendar year will be announced in early January 2027. See Lines of Communication 2026 | SaveAs Writers Group |
| 30th September 2026 |
1st E250 entry E16 |
The Moth Nature Writing Prize is now open for
submissions of unpublished poems that explore the natural world. Submissions are welcome from poets aged 16 and over from anywhere in the world. Judge: Sean Borodale The winning poets will receive cash prizes of €250 (3rd), €500 (2nd), and €1,000 plus a week at The Moth Retreat in rural Ireland. The winning pieces will also be published in The Irish Times online. See The Moth | The Moth Nature Writing Prize |
| 4th October 2026 |
1st £500 entry free |
The Modern Cockney Festival is now open for
poetry entries for an upcoming anthology on two themes: – Modern Cockney identities & Cockney Diaspora – Unity & Comradeship of East End Communities (in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street) Judges: Ovyuki, Aminah Rahman, Mark Ereira-Guyer, Saif Osmani, and Arthur Smith Entrants aged 18 and over are welcome to submit poems of up to 40 lines. A prize of a Monkey (£500) for a poem judged as one that brings either of the themes most alive; two Tons (£100) as commendation prizes. See The New Cockney Poets – Modern Cockney Festival |
| 31st October 2026 |
1st E1000 entry E18 |
The Anthology Poetry Competition 2026 Now open for poets all over the world. Poems must be previously unpublished, written in the English language, and should not exceed 40 lines. There is no restriction on theme or style. Judge: Dr Rachael Hegarty The first place winner will receive a €1,000 cash prize and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology. The second prize winner will receive a cash prize of €250. The third prize winner will receive a cash prize of €150. See - Poetry Competition - Anthology |
| 31st October 2026 |
1st £2000 entry £8.50 |
Bedford Writing Competition is an international Short Story and Poetry Competition that has been running for 12 years, with the 2025 competition attracting over 2800 entries from 61 different countries. The 2026 competition will commence on the 1st May and is open to anyone over the age of 17 years. Shortlisted and winning entries are published in The Bedford Competition Anthology. Winning poems will be submitted to the Forward Prize for Poetry. For full details and rules visit: https://bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk/ |