Mark National Poetry Day by entering Ruskin Prize competition

Poets with an idea are being encouraged to mark National Poetry Day today by starting work on a new poem to enter in the Ruskin Prize competition which will be awarded by the University of Roehampton’s Poetry Centre.

First, second and third place prizes worth a total of £600 are on offer, and the winning submissions will be published in Poem magazine, edited by eminent poet and critic Professor Fiona Sampson from the University. Professor Sampson will also judge the submissions.

The works, which must be unpublished and not submitted for any other competitions, can be on any subject but must be no longer than 40 lines. The competition is open to all writers, amateur or professional, young or old.

Professor Sampson said:
“We want to discover three outstanding works and celebrate them by sharing them with Poem magazine’s international readership. We have not chosen a topic for this competition: instead, we welcome writing in every style and on any topic.

“National Poetry Day is the ideal reason to begin the creative process and we look forward to receiving some wonderful submissions and finding exciting new works, whether by new or established writers.”
The prize, which is awarded annually is named after John Ruskin, the Victorian philanthropist and political economist who was a great supporter of the University’s Whitelands College.

Submissions are all welcome from first time writers, students and established authors, but must be received by the University before 14 January 2016. For more information visit the Roehampton Poetry Centre web pages

October 8, 2015