Wenlock Poetry Festival’s Poetry Competition. Deadline: 23rd March

International Poetry Competition 2015

Head Judge: Imtiaz Dharker

Wenlock Poetry Festival’s adult poetry competition for 2015 is open for international submissions as of Monday 26th of January, 2015.

This year, we are delighted to welcome Imtiaz Dharker, recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, as lead judge.

Entry costs £5 per poem (maximum of 5 poems per person), and the competition prizes are:

– 1st prize: £500 

– 2nd prize: £200

– 3rd prize: £100

One poem will be judged as Highly Commended.  

Imtiaz Dharker will be assisted in judging the competition by Wenlock Poetry Festival Poet in Residence, Jean Atkin; WPF Chair, Liz Roberts, and 2014's competition winner, Jackie Wills.

HOW TO ENTER

www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org/competitions/adult-competitions/

COMPETITION RULES

·           Open to anyone over the age of 17.

POEMS

·            *new for 2015 - Submissions open to online entries only.

·            Poems may be on any subject and must be the original work of the poet.

·            Poems should be titled and not exceed 40 lines excluding title.

·            Up to 5 poems may be submitted.

·            Closing date is midnight on 23^rd March 2015.

·            Entries should be written in English.

·            Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on a website or broadcast before April 2015 and not currently entered into any other competition.

·            Poems must be typed on one side of white A4 paper, double or single spaced. Each poem must comprise only the title and the poem; all poems are judged anonymously so please do not include your name on your poem.

·            No correspondence can be entered into and the decisions of the judges are final.

FEES

·            Entry fee is £5 per poem entered and payment must be at point of online submission.

WINNERS

·            The results and commendations will be announced during the Festival.

·            Winners will be notified in advance and invited to attend an award ceremony on Sunday 26th April 2015

·            Wenlock Poetry Festival reserves the right to publish winning entries on the internet for up to one year from the date of the prize giving and they may be read out and/or posted on radio or TV during the Festival and in other local media at any time, all without payment of a fee. Copyright remains with the authors.

·            Wenlock Poetry Festival is the organiser of the competition and reserves the right not to award prizes.