FOYLE YOUNG POETS AWARD Free
Sponsored By: The Poetry Society

Contest Status: Active

PCI Recommendation: Highly Recommended

Deadline: 7/31 (postmark deadline)



Contest Type: Poetry (Individual Poems)

Experience Level: Young Authors



For Children: Yes (ages 11-17)

Language: English

Translations Eligible: No



Top Award: All winners and runners-up will receive book prizes donated by publishers Bloodaxe and Faber & Faber, plus free youth membership in the Poetry Society for one year, and will be invited to an awards party at the Royal Festival Hall on National Poetry Day, October 6, 2005.

Winner Also Receives: Winning poems are published in an anthology. The 15 overall winners are also invited to attend the prizewinners' writing course at the Arvon Centre in Lumb Bank.

Publication of Winners: Yes

Entry Fee: None



Sponsor Details:

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award (W)

The Poetry Society

22 Betterton Street

London WC2H 9BX

United Kingdom



Contact: Lisa Roberts, Public Relations

Phone: 020 7420 9894 or 020 7420 9895

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/youngnat/ynindex.htm

Contact Email: education@poetrysociety.org.uk or marketing@poetrysociety.org.uk

Submission Email: fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk



What To Submit: Poems

Length Limit: None - enter as many poems as you choose

Submission Format: Typed, single-spaced, with author's name, address, school (if appropriate) and date of birth written on the BACK of every sheet. Include cover sheet with name, address, school (if appropriate), date of birth and titles of poems submitted. Entries may also be submitted in the body of an email (no attachments) to fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk. Put your name, address, date of birth, titles of poems and your school (if appropriate) at the top of your email.



Submissions Per Entrant: Multiple Submissions Allowed

Unpublished Submission: Yes

Exclusive Submission: No



PCI Editor's Comments: One of Britain's top poetry organizations.

Suggestions: General advice to contestants: "Read as much poetry as you can."


Jean Sprackland, judge of the Foyle Young Poets Award 2002, has her own tip for anyone wanting to enter: "There is no formula to writing a winning poem," but what 'struck' Sprackland while judging the competition was the "importance of looking closely, rigorously, curiously and with a fresh eye. Really looking is a habit we have to relearn. It is much easier to recycle well-worn images; snuggle back into cliché."


Previous Foyle winners have gone on to be published by Carcanet Press and established poetry journals, and their work has graced London's tube trains as part of Young Poets on the Underground.


Foyles is a famous bookshop in London. Read about it at:

http://www.foyles.co.uk/foyles/index.asp

The prize is funded by the Foyle Foundation, a trust established by the family that founded the bookshop. Visit the foundation's website at:

http://www.foylefoundation.org.uk



Contest Judge:

2005:

George Szirtes and Colette Bryce



Recent Winners: See the work of recent winners on these pages:

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/youngnat/yn2004.htm

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/youngnat/yn2003.htm

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/youngnat/yn2002.htm

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/youngnat/yn2001.htm



Winners Notified: September - winners are notified by mail and the results are posted to the website

All Contestants Receive: To receive a free copy of the anthology of last year's winning poems when you enter this year's competition, enclose an A5 self-addressed envelope with a 35p stamp with your poems. (Non-UK entrants, email education@poetrysociety.org.uk to find out how to get this anthology.)

MS Returned: No



Typical Number of Entrants: 5,000-6,000 poems

Contest Established: 1998