More than thirty years after its launch by Bookmark, the Forward Prizes for Poetry welcome submissions from editors and publishers of books, magazines, online journals and competitions, published in the UK or Republic of Ireland, including works from the British Isles. There is also now one self-submittable category – ‘Best Single Poem – Performed.’

The submission deadline for all online entries is 5th March 2023.

Publishers entering the Forward Prizes for Best Collection and Best First Collection will have a further ten days to send physical copies of books, by 17th March 2023.

There are four prizes:

The Forward Prize for Best Collection

A prize of £10,000 will be given to the author of the best collection of poetry published in the UK or Republic of Ireland between 19 September 2022 and 18 September 2023.

The Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection

A prize of £5,000 will be given to the author of the best debut collection of poetry published in the UK or Republic of Ireland between 19 September 2022 and 18 September 2023.

This year there are also two new prizes for single poems:

The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Written
A prize of £1,000 will be given to the author of the best written single poem that has been published in a newspaper, periodical or magazine in the UK or Republic of Ireland between 5 March 2022 and 4 March 2023, or has been the winner of a poetry competition with a prize awarded between the same dates.

The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed
A prize of £1,000 will be given to the author of the best new performance or a new poem to camera performed or produced between 5 March 2022 and 4 March 2023.

Find the full entry guidance here.

Find full details here of how to enter.

Got an event, challenge, competition, opportunity or call for submissions you’d like to draw attention to? Send me an email at JudyDarley (@) ICloud (dot) com.