2021 Waltham Forest Poetry Competition. 

Closing Date: MONDAY 11 OCTOBER 2021 (midnight UK time). Visit the competition website for rules and more ways to enter. 

Theme: Send poems on any theme. Maximum 6 poems, up to 40 lines, not including title.

Our judge: Joelle Taylor is a former UK slam champion who founded the national youth slam championships SLAMbassadors in 2001 for The Poetry Society and was its Artistic Director and National Coach until 2018. Joelle is an award-winning poet, playwright, author and editor. Her latest collection is C+nto: & Othered Poems. joelletaylor.co.uk

THANK YOU to The Stow Brothers Estate Agents for sponsoring our local prizes. www.stowbrothers.com 

ADULT COMPETITION (18 or over): Entry fee: 1st poem £3, subsequent poems in the same submission £1 – up to 6 poems in total, 40 lines maximum per poem (not including title). Poets who live, work or study in Waltham Forest will automatically be included in the Local prize for no additional fee.

Main prize: 1st £400, 2nd £200, 3rd £100.

Local prize sponsored by The Stow Brothers (for poets living or studying in Waltham Forest): 1st £50, 2nd £30, and 3rd £20.

YOUNG POET COMPETITION (under 18): No entry fee. Send up to 6 poems in total, 40 lines maximum per poem (not including title). Poets who live or study in Waltham Forest will automatically be included in the Local prize.

Main Prize: 1st £50, 2nd £30, 3rd £20.

Local prize sponsored by The Stow Brothers (for poets living or studying in Waltham Forest): 1st £50, 2nd £30, and 3rd £20.

The top three poems in each of the Adult and Young Poet categories, plus a number of Commended poets will be published on our website. All winning and Commended poets will be invited to read at our award ceremony. 

GOOD LUCK!