The National Poetry Competition 2026

The National Poetry Competition 2026 is a contest for a single unpublished poem, run by The Poetry Society. Work from poets at every stage of their writing careers is welcome and entries may be on any subject. Poems must be original, written in English, and not exceed 40 lines. AI-generated work is prohibited and entries must not have been previously published or made public before 2027-03-31.

Cash prizes (first £5,000; second £3,000; third £4,000; commendations £500 each), publication of the top three winners in The Poetry Review, notification of prizewinners and invitation to an awards event in spring 2025; winners asked to provide a biography and photograph.

The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over; international entries are welcome.

Submit original, unpublished poems in English with a title, up to 40 lines. AI use prohibited. Pay entry fee (first poem £9; subsequent entries £6). There is no limit on the number of entries per entrant.