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Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2015

Information
Closing date: 
31 July 2015
Entry: 
Young poets from across the world but must be aged 11-17 on the closing date
Prize: 
Top 15 winners are published in an anthology and are invited to attend a week’s residential creative writing course at a prestigious Arvon centre or receive a poet residency in their school

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is for poems written by any young poet aged 11-17. Since it began 15 years ago the Award has kick-started the career of some of today's most exciting new voices. It is the largest competition of its kind and is free to enter.

Each year 100 winners (85 Commendations and 15 Overall Winners) are selected by a team of high profile judges. The winners receive their awards at an annual prize-giving event on National Poetry DayThe competition is now open for entries. The closing date is Midnight, GMT on 31 July 2015.

Judges

Acclaimed poets Liz Berry and Michael Symmons Roberts have been announced as this year's judges. Find out more about this year's competition.

"Foyle Young Poets has become an essential institution, a way of discovering and developing the next generation of poets. Former Foyle winners are now among the most admired British poets, so it's a real privilege to be invited to judge this year's competition, and an exciting prospect" - Michael Symmons Roberts, 2015 Judge

With acclaimed poets Liz Berry and Michael Symmons Roberts at the helm, this year's competition is once again on the hunt for the world's most exciting new poets aged 11-17. Deadline for entries is midnight GMT on the 31st July 2015.

The Award

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is now firmly established as the key international competition for young writers.

Last year the Award received entries from 7,603 young poets from a total 78 countries, cementing its position as the world's largest literary competition. Among last year's winners are poets from France, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Canada and the USA - and from right across the UK.

Thanks to the support of the Foyle Foundation, entry to the competition and all associated prizes and opportunities remains entirely free. Find out more about the Award in our short film.

All past entrants to the Award still eligible to enter, and all UK Heads of English, will be sent a winners anthology and information on the Award from between the 10th and 20th March - so keep an eye out on your post boxes!

The winners

This year's world-class winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony in London on National Poetry Day, 8th October 2015. The top 15 winning poems are published in the winners anthology - 24,000 of which are sent to schools, arts organisations, opinion formers and poets each year to mark the launch.

The top 15 winners are also invited to attend a week's residential creative writing course at a prestigious Arvon centre or receive a poet residency in their school (age dependent). All 100 winners receive one year's Youth Membership of the Poetry Society, a range of book prizes, and benefit from ongoing support and encouragement from the Poetry Society via publication, performance and internship opportunities.

In the past year Foyle winners have read at numerous high profile events including the Southbank Centre, BBC's The One Show, Radio 4, BBC World News, Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

How to enter

 

Closing date: 
31 July 2015
Entry: 
Young poets from across the world but must be aged 11-17 on the closing date
Prize: 
Top 15 winners are published in an anthology and are invited to attend a week’s residential creative writing course at a prestigious Arvon centre or receive a poet residency in their school