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Poetry Competitions
Current and forthcoming competitions - substantially checked 2 October 2026
How to Enter Them -* Beware of scams.
Please Note
The information given here is for guidance only. While every effort is made to ensure that it is accurate, competition details, fees and closing dates can change. Before entering any competition, please check the full rules and current information provided by the organisers. Poetry Kit cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information supplied by competition organisers.
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OCTOBER 2026
4 October 2026
The New Cockney Poets — Modern Cockney Festival
Prize: £500 first prize; two £100 commendation prizes
Entry: Free
Poems of up to 40 lines on Modern Cockney identities and diaspora, or unity and comradeship in East End communities. Open to entrants aged over 18.
9 October 2026
Worlds into Words: Freedom from Torture Poetry Competition 2026
Entry: £5; £1 for under-18s; free for entrants with lived experience as a refugee
A poetry competition listed by the National Poetry Library, with adult and young-person entry routes. Check the organiser's current rules for themes, prizes and eligibility before entering.
19 October 2026
Waltham Forest Poetry Competition 2026
First prize: £400 adult main prize
Entry: £3 first poem; £1 each subsequent poem in the same submission; free for young poets
Theme: Music. Up to six poems, maximum 40 lines each. Open worldwide. Judge: Suzanna Fitzpatrick. Adult, young poet, local Waltham Forest and funniest-poem prizes are available.
26 October 2026
Candlestick Press — Poems about the Moon
Entry: Purchase of one qualifying pamphlet allows two poems; purchase of two allows five poems
A themed poetry opportunity listed by the National Poetry Library. Check Candlestick Press for the current rules and prize information before entering.
26 October 2026
iOTA Shot Pamphlet Awards 2026 — Templar Poetry
Entry: £20
For poetry pamphlet manuscripts of 16–25 pages. Winning pamphlets are expected to be published during 2027/28; shortlisted poets may also be selected for publication in iOTA magazine.
30 October 2026
The Happiful Poetry Prize 2027
First prize: £100; four runners-up receive £25 book tokens
Entry: Free
For UK-based entrants. Submit an original poem of up to 25 lines exploring mental health and wellbeing. Winner and shortlisted poets will be published in Happiful.
31 October 2026
The National Poetry Competition 2026
First prize: £5,000; second £3,000; third £2,000; commended prizes £500
Entry: £9 first poem; £6 subsequent poems
Run by The Poetry Society. Open worldwide to poets aged 18 and over for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines. Judges: Niall Campbell, Malika Booker and Luke Kennard.
31 October 2026
The Bedford Competition
First prize: £2,000; second £400; third £300
Entry: £8.50
International short story and poetry competition, open to entrants over 17. Shortlisted and winning entries are published in the competition anthology. Poetry judge: Fran Lock.
31 October 2026
Anthology Poetry Competition 2026
First prize: €1,000; second €250; third €150
Entry: €18 standard fee
Open internationally for previously unpublished poems in English of no more than 40 lines, with no restriction on theme or style.
31 October 2026
Wildfire/Frosted Fire Seventh International Single Poem Competition
First prizes: £300 audio category and £300 text category; four £25 runners-up
Entry: £5 per poem or £20 for five
Open worldwide for poems of up to 50 lines on the theme Free Speech or Fake News.
31 October 2026
Edward Thomas Fellowship Poetry Competition 2027
First prize: £250; two further prizes of £100
Entry: £5 per poem
Unpublished poems on any subject, maximum 40 lines. Judge: Daljit Nagra. Winning poets are invited to read at the Fellowship AGM at Steep, Hampshire.
NOVEMBER 2026
4 November 2026
The Poetry Business Pamphlet Competition
Prize: Two winners receive £500 each and publication by Smith|Doorstop Books
Entry: £25; £22 discounted rate for eligible members/subscribers
Submit a 20-page poetry collection. Open internationally to writers aged 18 and over. Judge: Andrew McMillan. Entry-fee waivers are available by application.
4 November 2026
The Poetry Business 40th Anniversary Collection Competition
Prize: £500 and publication of the winning collection by Smith|Doorstop Books
Entry: £38; £35 discounted rate for eligible members/subscribers
Submit 40–60 pages of poetry. Open internationally. Judge: Imtiaz Dharker. Two runners-up receive £100 honoraria and publication in The North.
15 November 2026
Café Writers Poetry Competition 2026
First prize: £1,000; second £300; third £200; three £30 commendations; Norfolk Prize £50
Entry: £5 per poem; £13 for three; £4 each thereafter
Open poetry competition with concessions available for eligible low-income UK residents.
23 November 2026
Straid Collection Award 2026
Entry: £25
A full-collection poetry award currently listed by the National Poetry Library. Check the organiser's full rules, manuscript requirements and prize details before submitting.
30 November 2026
Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Competition
First prize: €2,000; second €500; third €250; ten runners-up €50
Entry: €7 per poem or €30 for five
International competition for poems up to 40 lines. The winner receives a featured reading at Cork International Poetry Festival; winners and runners-up are published in Southword.
30 November 2026
National Poetry Library — Word Exchange Poetry Competition
Prize: Opportunity to perform at the 2027 London Literature Festival
Entry: Free
For UK residents aged 16 and over. The competition celebrates local words, phrases, languages and dialects.
30 November 2026
Wildfire Words 2026 Audio Book International Competition
Entry: £9 per collection until 31 October; £12 from 1 November
An international poetry-collection competition listed by the National Poetry Library. Check the organiser's current rules and prize information before submitting.
DECEMBER 2026
7 December 2026
Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition 2026
First prize: £2,000; second £500; third £250; Unpublished Poet Prize £250
Entry: £12 for three poems
The four prize winners and 16 additional finalists will be published in Mslexia. Judge: Rachel Long. Check Mslexia's eligibility rules before entering.
7 December 2026
Mslexia Women's Pamphlet Competition 2026
First prize: £500 plus publication of the winning pamphlet by Bloodaxe Books
Entry: £20
Judge: Maura Dooley. A selected poem from the winning pamphlet will also be published in Mslexia. Check Mslexia's eligibility and manuscript rules before entering.
JANUARY 2027
3 January 2027
Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival Poetry Competition 2027
Prizes: £300 (18 & over); £100 (ages 12–17)
Entry: £4 per poem for adults; under-18s may enter one poem free
Theme: Water is Life. Poems must be no more than 30 lines. Judge: Wendy Pratt. All shortlisted poems will be printed in a pamphlet. Entries open online from 1 October 2026.
15 January 2027
Guernsey International Poetry Competition 2027
Open Poetry prize: up to £1,000
Entry: £5 per poem or three for £12; young people's category free
Original poems in English of no more than 14 lines. Open, Channel Islands and Young People's categories. Judge: Clare Pollard.
15 January 2027
Arts Richmond Poetry Prize 2027
Prizes: £250, £150 and £75; local prize £150
Entry: £6 per poem or £14 for three
Theme: An Open Window. Original unpublished poems, maximum 40 lines. Entrants must be 16 or over. Roger McGough selects the winners from the final 40 poems.
31 January 2027
Magma Poetry Competition 2026/27
Prizes in each category: £1,000 first; £500 second; £250 third
Entry: £8 first poem; £6 each subsequent poem; reduced subscriber rates
Two categories: the Judge's Prize for poems of 11–50 lines, judged by Fiona Benson, and the Editors' Prize for poems of up to 10 lines.
FEBRUARY 2027
24 February 2027
Hive Young Writers' Competition 2026/27
Entry: Free
A free young-writers competition listed by the National Poetry Library. Check the current organiser information for age categories, poetry requirements and prizes.
ADDING A NEW COMPETITION
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