Ty Newydd is renowned for its excellent writing courses, taught by outstanding poets in a beautiful setting. Winners also have the opportunity to read their poems at Ledbury Poetry
Festival 2018.

Ledbury Poetry Festival is delighted that FIONA SAMPSON MBE, also the Festival’s 2017 Poet in Residence, has agreed to judge all entries. Fiona has published twenty-seven books, received the Newdigate Prize, a Cholmondeley award and numerous awards from national Arts Councils, the Society of Authors, PBS, and twice been shortlisted for both T.S. Eliot and
Forward Prizes. Her new books are Lyric Cousins (EUP), The Catch (Penguin) and Limestone Country (Little Toller, May 2017).

The Ledbury Poetry Festival Poetry Competition has been an important first step in many poets’ careers. Jacob Polley, winner of this year’s T.S. Eliot Award, started his career with a win at Ledbury in 2001. Other previous winners include Maitreyabandhu (2010), Jonathan Edwards (2014) and Jacqueline Saphra (2007). The Competition is increasingly international with the previous two years won by Americans Miller Oberman (2016) and Jane Satterfield (2015). The Festival prides itself on a lasting relationship with its competition entrants and winners: many are asked back for performances, residencies and workshops.

The competition is open to all entries of original, previously unpublished work across categories for Adults, Young People (12-17 years) and also Children(11 and under). Entry fees are £5 for the first poem £5 and £3.50 for each subsequent poem. Children and Young People enter their first poem free.

For more information and to send your work