Buxton’s fifth annual poetry competition is now open and this year’s theme is Welcome to Britain.
Poets of all ages are welcome to enter – there are three categories: Open Poetry for poets aged 19 and over, Young People’s Poetry for budding poets between 12 and 18, or Children’s Poetry for those aged 11 and under.
There are cash prizes totalling £600 for winners of the Open category and book tokens for winners of the Young people and Children’s categories. Winning poets will also see their work in a unique exhibition at the University of Derby’s Buxton Campus – the iconic Devonshire Dome – during the 2012 Buxton Festival.
The theme Welcome to Britain aims to explore what is special about the UK and our national identity in a year that brings us the 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. We hope it will inspire diverse interpretations, from celebrating the things that make our nation unique to highlighting current issues, reflecting on what makes us British and exploring how the rest of the world sees the UK. Welcome to Britain could inspire a wide variety of thoughts and emotions, from the personal to the political – the theme is intended to be as expansive as possible.
This year’s judges are Sheffield based poets Peter and Ann Sansom:
‘We’re sure this year’s theme will bring in a really broad range of poems, reflecting our very varied society and great heritage. Poems that focus on a particular place or figure from history maybe, or on some British invention or the sports and games we play; even our distinctive (for better or worse) food and drink – any or all of these subjects might make a winning poem.’
The competition is run by Buxton Festival and the University of Derby Buxton. The Buxton Poetry competition is also supported by the nation’s former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion alongside Lady Jasmine Cavendish, who are the competition’s enthusiastic patrons.
The deadline for poems is April 6 2012 and entries are free for the Children and Young People’s categories. Entry packs can be downloaded here or you can contact Claire Rhodes on 01298 70395/ claire@buxtonfestival.co.uk
