Applications are open for the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2021. The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is an opportunity for any young person aged 11-17 to accelerate their writing career. Since it was founded in 1998, the Award has kick-started the career of some of today’s most exciting new voices, such as Sarah Howe, Jay Bernard, Helen Mort, Richard Osmond, Caroline Bird, Phoebe Stuckes and many more poets from across the world. With entries from over 6,000 young people last year from across the UK and worldwide, it is the largest competition of its kind and its importance is widely attested.

Prizes

• The top 15 winners will have their poems printed in the winners’ print anthology, 25,000 copies of which are distributed to school, libraries and poetry enthusiasts.
• The top 15 winners will be invited to attend a life-changing residential writing course at one of the prestigious Arvon Centres, or receive alternative sustained mentoring from a professional poet.
• The 85 commended poets will have their work published in an online anthology and their names in the print anthology.

General Rules 

• You must be aged 11-17 on the closing date of the 31st July 2021 in order to enter the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award.
• Individuals may enter more than one poem. However, it strongly advise that you concentrate on drafting and redrafting your poems and send only a selection of your very best. Remember, quality is more important than quantity.
• The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is free to enter and poems can be of any length and on any theme.
• Poems cannot have won any other competition.
• Poems must be the original work of the author (we do run checks for plagiarism on all selected poems).
• Also, poems must be written in English, but you can include phrases in your mother tongue or another language. If you would like to enter an entry in British Sign Language or Braille then please contact [email protected].
• You may not enter a poem written by more than one author.
• Entries will be accepted from anywhere in the world.

See Full Rules