Entries are now being sought from local wordsmiths of all ages for this year's East Riding Libraries’ Festival of Words Poetry Competition.
Launched for 2026, the theme of this year's contest is ‘The stories that made me’. Will your stories be from books that shaped how you grew, or the very tales born of your own experience?
Entries will be judged by a panel consisting of celebrated Yorkshire poets Matthew Hedley Stoppard and Wendy Pratt, and led by local writer and poet James Nash, who shares his time between Leeds and Bridlington.
All poems will be judged anonymously, purely on their merits.
Winners will be invited to read their poems at a special event in March 2027.
Prizes on offer for the winning entries include the £500 East Riding gold prize, silver prize of £200 and bronze prize of £150.
In addition, there will be six highly commended prizes of £25 each (two for adults and two each for primary and secondary school pupils), plus primary and secondary school prizes for children.
The cost for adults is £4 per entry. Entry is free for children of school age.
The closing date is Sunday, 10 January 2027.
Councillor Nick Coultish, East Riding of Yorkshire Council's portfolio holder for culture, leisure, tourism and planning, said: “We'd love to receive entries from anyone of any age for this wonderful celebration of local poetry talent.
“The theme ‘The stories that made me’ is a great opportunity for people to explore ways to tell their stories, to share the moments in life that shaped them, and could be interpreted in a variety of ways.
"I can’t wait to hear what people come up with.”
For more information on the poetry competition and to apply visit www.eastridinglibraries.co.uk/festival-of-words/poetry-competition/
The competition accompanies the annual East Riding Libraries’ Festival of Words, held from 2 to 10 October, bringing together best-selling authors, performers and creative voices for a celebration of books, storytelling and ideas with talks and events held at local East Riding venues.
Organised by East Riding Libraries and funded by Arts Council England, the festival will feature a packed programme of events exploring everything from crime fiction and romantasy to history, creativity and contemporary culture.
The event will welcome a range of bestselling authors and speakers, including Patrick Gale, Mark Billingham, M.J. Arlidge, John Ironmonger and Dave Haslam, alongside many other popular writers from the worlds of crime, fantasy, romance and non-fiction.
For details on the festival and to book tickets visit www.festivalofwords.co.uk
Entries are now being accepted for the 2026 East Riding Libraries’ Festival of Words Poetry Competition.
Theo Chi Ting Chan, who won second prize in the primary category in last year’s poetry competition, performs his entry, pictured with Cassandra Parkin, a former East Riding Poet Laureate.
