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the Poetry kit
ISSN
1468-3075
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THE POETRY KIT NEWSLETTER May 2025 |
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
1 - Editors Notes
Submitting information to The Poetry Kit
To enable the contents and usefulness of the Poetry Kit Newsletter to grow we put it out as an attachment. It will still arrive every month in an email but the bulk of the newsletter itself will be in the attachment. To submit information for inclusion in any area of The Poetry Kit including the Newsletter please see submission details at
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Regular Open Mic Events in the UK
Some face to face poetry events have not restarted. Please check before turning up.
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COMPETITIONS CLOSING SOON - OTHER COMPETITIONS CAN BE FOUND AT
http://www.poetrykit.org/comps.htm
| 1st May 2026 |
1st £3000 entry £10 |
The Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize Closing date: Fri 01 May 2026 Awarded for the best poetic response on the theme of ‘Joy’. The winner and runners-up will receive financial support in the following amounts: Prizes: First place: £3,000 Second place: £1,000 Third place: £1,000 See https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize |
| 5th May 2026 |
1st 15 Awards entry free |
Creative Future Writers' Award 2026 Closing date: Tue 5 May 2026 The Creative Future Writers’ Award 2026 is now open for entries. Submissions are welcome from poets from all around the UK aged 18 and over yet to release a single-author publication. The Award is for underrepresented writers—including those who lack opportunities due to mental health, disability, neurodiversity, health, and from working class, LGTBQIA+, and Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. £25,000 in cash and development prizes will be awarded to fifteen winners in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, plus publication and reading at an award event as part of the London Literature Festival. Judges: Courttia Newland, Nancy Campbell, Kieran Yates, and a panel of industry experts see https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/ |
| 25th May 2026 |
1st £500 entry free |
The Matthew Lanyon Archive is delighted to
announce a new national poetry prize, celebrating the life and
creative legacy of Cornish artist Matthew Lanyon (1951-2016). Poets are invited to submit up to two poems that respond to Matthew’s work in new and intriguing ways. The theme for this year’s competition is ‘The Archaeology of Tomorrow’. A cash prize of £500 will be awarded to the overall winner. The winner and 5 highly commended poets will have their poems published on the Matthew Lanyon website. An additional prize is available for a poet from or living in Cornwall. Judges: Luke Thompson, Judith Lanyon and Zelda Cahill-Patten. The competition opens for entries on 30th March 2026. see Matthew Lanyon Poetry Prize 2026 — Matthew Lanyon |
| 29th May 2026 |
1st £250 entry £4 |
Wirral Poetry Festival Open
Poetry Competition 2026 Poems on any subject, of not more
than 40 lines, in English, Open prizes:1st prize £250, 4 £25
runner-up prizes. LCR prizes (for entrants living/working in
the Liverpool City Region): 1st Prize £100, 2 £25
runner-up prizes. Entry: £4 per poem / £10 for 3
poems Full details and online entry at
www.wirralpoetryfestival.org.uk . |
| 31st May 2026 |
1st £250 entry £5 |
The Whispering Wisdom Prize Poetry Competition 2026
is now open for submissions. Entrants are welcome to submit
previously unpublished poems on any theme. Poems must be up to
40 lines (excluding title and line breaks), and written in the
English language. Judges: Chris Allen and Peter Devonald There will be cash prizes of £250 (1st) and £50 (2nd and 3rd). see Poetry | Whispering Wisdom |
| 31st May 2026 |
1st publication and residency fee £6 |
The inaugural Stainsby Festival National Poetry Competition is
now accepting submissions of unpublished, accessible poems on
any subject, with a maximum of 42 lines Shortlisted poets will be invited to read their work (or have it read) at this year’s festival in Roger’s presence. Three winning poems will be published online (and possibly in this year’s festival programme). The overall winner will be invited to a paid residency at the 2027 festival. Judge: Roger McGough https://stainsbyfestival.org/poetry/ |
| 31st May 2026 |
1st 250 guineas entry £4 |
The Frogmore Poetry Prize Open for Poems must be in English, unpublished and not currently submitted elsewhere or accepted for future publication. They must not previously have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be typed and no longer than forty lines. Judge: Mike Barlow The winner of the Frogmore Poetry Prize (founded 1987) will receive two hundred and fifty guineas and a two-year subscription to The Frogmore Papers. The first and second runners-up will receive seventy-five and fifty guineas respectively and a year’s subscription to The Frogmore Papers. Shortlisted poets will receive copies of selected Frogmore Press publications. see Frogmore Poetry Prize 2026 – submission guidelines – The Frogmore Press |
| 31st May 2025 |
1st £30 entry £4 |
Kirkstall Art Trail inaugural poetry
competition, with two prizes, one national and one local, with
the aim of producing a collection featuring the ten best poetry
submissions. This will be available for sale during the
Kirkstall Art Trail weekend (18 and 19 July) and through the
website. The winning poems will be selected by Kirkstall poet, Jim Corah.National Poetry Prize: £30 LS Poetry Prize: £20 The Kirkstall Art Trail National Poetry Prize is open to all UK residents. The Kirkstall Art Trail LS Poetry Prize is open to all residents with a Leeds (LS) postcode. Entries must be in English, can be up to 40 lines in length and on any theme. See https://kirkstallarttrail.co.uk/kirkstall-art-trail-2026-poetry-competition/ |
| 31st May 2026 |
1st £100 entry £5 |
The Fiction Factory Poetry Competition 2026 is now open for
submissions from poets all over the world. Open to all poets aged 16 and over, poems submitted can be on any theme and must have 40 lines maximum. Judge: Helen Cox The winning poet will receive a cash prize of £100, feedback on five poems, and a 1 hour mentorship session over Zoom with the judge to discuss their poetry. Five runners up will receive critique from the judge. see https://fiction-factory.biz/poetry-competition/ |
| 1st June 2026 |
1st £100 entry £4 |
The 4th Chesham Literary Festival Poetry Competition. Entrants are welcome to send up to five poems written in the English language, each should be a maximum of 40 lines. Judges: Ben Batten, Jon Bickley, Leeanne Parke and Richard de Silva. There are separate categories for Under 11, 11-18, Adult Resident of HP5, and Adult Rest of the World. There will be cash prizes of £100 for each of the winners in the adult categories and £50 for each of the winners in the Under 11 and 11-18 categories. Judges: Ben Batten, Jon Bickley, Leeanne Parke and Richard de Silva https://cheshamliteraryfestival.net/poetry-competition |
| 1st June 2026 |
1st £300 entry £5 |
CANTERBURY FESTIVAL POET OF THE YEAR 2026 Our 2026 competition is now open for submissions. Poems entered may be on any subject and in any poetic format but no more than 60 lines long. Longlisted poems will be compiled in our annual printed Anthology, and shortlisted poems will be read at our online Awards Evening on 1 October, when the winners will be announced. Closing 1st June 2026. 3 judges (Lucy Crispin, Gillian Laker, Luigi Marchini) The winner not only receives the title of Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year, but also £300 (sponsored by Prof Geralyn Pinto). Second and third prizes are also available, second place wins £150 and third £75 (sponsored by Posillipo’s Restaurant, Canterbury). See https://canterburyfestival.co.uk/poet-of-the-year-2026/ |
| 15th June 2026 |
1st £50 entry £3 |
Wildfire Words fourth annual LIMERICK competition
for charity in celebration of the life of Katrina Ellis Prizes: £50 for first, £25 for second, & 3 of £10 All longlisted limericks will be published in Limerick Anthology 2026 All the entry fees for the competition will be donated to the Cotswold Riding for the Disabled Association. Prizes are donated by Annie Ellis, mother of the late Katrina Ellis. See https://wildfire-words.com/kep-2026/ |
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| NEW SHORT COURSES | SHORT COURSES | OTHER COURSES | ||
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New in January 2026 Poetry in the City Cities pulse with stories — in
their streets, their people, their noise, and their silence.
Poetry in the City explores how urban life shapes poetic
expression and how poets capture the rhythm, tension, and beauty
of city living. From modern metropolises to imagined cityscapes,
architecture, movement, memory, and community. The course will
be over three weeks at a cost of £30.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=KRZXTDHXYB8NU New in February 2026 The self in poetry “The poetic self in Poetry”
explores how poets give voice to identity, emotion, and
experience through a poetic viewpoint. From confessional verse
to collective expression, this course examines how the poetic
self is constructed, and used in contemporary poetry. The course
will be over three weeks at a cost of £30.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=P5NLCHJ2EMDFN
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Click link below for a list of all available short courses
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MENTORING Our most popular course is the longer
mentoring programme. This lasts from 3 to 6 months
depending on response times from the participant. All
mentoring is with Jim Bennett and is individually designed to
meet the needs of the participant. The cost of this is
£110 but places are limited. For further details or to
enrol for this course, go to
mentoring (poetrykit.org)
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For a more complete listing of courses and availability please see