The Poetry Society

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The Poetry Society is one of Britain's most dynamic arts organisations, representing British poetry both nationally and internationally. Sir Andrew Motion
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www.poetrysociety.org.uk The Poetry Society was founded in 1909 to 'promote "a more general recognition and appreciation of poetry". Since then, it has grown into one of Britain's most dynamic arts organisations, representing British poetry both nationally and internationally. Today it has more than 5,000 members worldwide and publishes the leading poetry magazine, The Poetry Review. With innovative education and commissioning programmes and a packed calendar of performances, readings and competitions, the Poetry Society champions poetry for all ages. As well as the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, the Poetry Society runs the National Poetry Competition, one of the world's longest-running and most prestigious prizes for an individual poem, and the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry - the prize founded by Carol Ann Duffy from her honorarium as Poet Laureate. "The Poetry Society is the heart and hands of poetry in the UK - a centre which pours out energy to all parts of the poetry-body, and a dexterous set of operations which arrange and organise poetry's various manifestations. It has a long distinguished history, and has never been so vital, or so vitalizing as it is now."

01/11/2026

Thank you to everyone for entering the National Poetry Competition 2026
Good luck, we'll be winging your poems off to our judges in no time!

31/10/2026

Very last chance to enter the National Poetry Competition 2026!
Closing at midnight (GMT) tonight!

Judges: Malika Booker, Niall Campbell & Luke Kennard.
First prize £5,000. Second prize £3,000. Third prize £2,000.
Enter now! npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

31/10/2026

Last chance to enter the National Poetry Competition 2026!

Closing at midnight (GMT) tonight, 31 October 2026.

Judges: Malika Booker, Niall Campbell & Luke Kennard.
First prize £5,000. Second prize £3,000. Third prize £2,000. Seven commendations £500 each. Enter now! npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

30/10/2026

It’s John Keats’s birthday week and The Poetry Society celebrates every year with a small service in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, with friends from The Keats Foundation and as we lay a wreath of flowers and read a few of Keats’s poems with one of the Rector of the Abbey

29/10/2026

Only three days left to enter the National Poetry Competition 2026!

Closing, midnight, 31 October 2026. Judges: Malika Booker, Niall Campbell & Luke Kennard. First prize £5,000. Second prize £3,000. Third prize £2,000. Seven commendations £500 each. Enter now! npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

27/10/2026

Want to enter the National Poetry Competition, but need inspiration? To get your ideas flowing, why not watch Jon Stone (commended, 2009 & 2011) read ‘Blue Poison Dart Frog’, alongside a host of other past winners in our ‘Then & Now’ series. Watch Jon's reading at bit.ly/NPC26videos Competition closes at midnight on 31 October 2026. Enter now! Find all details at npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

26/10/2026

What will Luke Kennard, one of our judges for the 2026 National Poetry Competition, be looking for when making his selections? Find out more at poetrysociety.org.uk

25/10/2026

Only one week left to enter the National Poetry Competition 2026! Closing, midnight, 31 October 2026. Judges: Malika Booker, Niall Campbell & Luke Kennard.

First prize £5,000. Second prize £3,000. Third prize £2,000. Seven commendations £500 each. Enter now! npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

23/10/2026

We're hiring! Could you be our new Marketing & Communications Manager? Visit poetrysociety.org.uk to find out more. Download the job pack at bit.ly/PoSocJobs

22/10/2026

To help inspire your entries for the National Poetry Competition, we have been gathering a host of prompts and resources, Kate Wakeling (Commended, 2025) suggests: ‘Think of a building. It could be where you grew up or once worked. Take your mind for a walk through this space, collecting sensory impressions of sights, sounds, textures and smells. Pay particular attention to doors and windows. What emotions surface here? Is there anything the building itself would like to say?’

Find more prompts, writing tips and resources at poetrysociety.org.uk/npc
Enter by 31 October 2026, all details npc.poetrysociety.org.uk

Address

22 Betterton Street
London
WC2H9BX

Telephone

+442074209881

Website

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/

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