Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2023

Deadline: February 24, 2023

The Tower Poetry Competition offers young poets the UK’s most valuable prize. The competition is free to enter and is open to students between 16-18 years of age who are educated in the UK. 

The competition is judged anonymously by two guest judges, who are different each year, and the Christopher Tower Student. Each year the theme is chosen to give entrants free rein to interpret it as widely as they like.

This year the Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes are blasting off to new heights with a newly increased first prize and a full set of awards worth more than £14000. 

The poet who writes the best single poem on the theme of ‘The Planets’ receives £5000. There will be a second prize of £3000, and a third prize of £1500. Along with these, there will be ten runners-up, each receiving £500.

Theme

The 23^rd Christopher Tower Poetry Competition opened for entries on 10 October 2022, with students between 16-18 years of age challenged to write a poem on the theme ‘The Planets.’

SEE ALSO: Kendeka Prize for African Literature 2023

Entry Conditions

• Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 24 February 2023.
• Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition.
• Entries for the Tower Poetry Prize 2023 must be on the designated theme.
• Entries must be written in English and no more than 48 lines.
• Entry must be made via the website, with true and accurate information given.
• The closing date for entries is noon on 24 February 2023. Entries entered after noon will not be considered by the judges.
• Each entrant may submit only one poem.
• Poems may not be edited after submission to the Tower Poetry Competition; only the first entry will be considered.
• Poems with joint authorship are ineligible.
• Each poem must be the entrant’s work: it must not incorporate poetry by others without acknowledgement and (where appropriate) citation, and it must not include substantial elements (phrases, lines, or larger blocks of composition) that have been suggested or authored by others engaged in providing specific editorial advice to the entrant.
• Poems must not have been previously published, broadcast or submitted to another competition.
• Names and addresses must not be included with the poem’s text since entries are judged anonymously.
• ‘Track changes’ must be removed before submitting the poem.
• The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into concerning this decision.
• The copyright of each poem remains with the author. Authors of the winning poems will grant Christ Church permission to publish or broadcast the poems for one year from 19 April 2023.
• The competition is not open to family members or close relatives of Christ Church, Oxford employees.

Application Registration Deadline: 24th February 2023

To Apply: Click here

Official Website: Click here