The Bridport Prize was founded by Bridport Arts Centre in 1973 and has steadily grown in stature and prestige. Right from the start the competition attracted entries from all parts of the UK and from overseas.

Over £18,000 in prize money

One of the richest writing competitions in the UK, the Bridport Prize is open to all nationalities aged 16 years and over.

The poem and short story categories each have a first prize of £5,000, second prize £1,000 and third prize £500. An additional ten highly commended prizes (for each category) of £100 each are awarded. All 13 winning entries in both categories are published in the anthology each year.

A new category for flash fiction with a prize of £1,000 was launched in 2010. There is a second prize of £500, 3rd prize of £250 and three highly commended prizes of £100. The six winning entries are published in the anthology each year.

In 2014 the Peggy Chapman-Andrews first novel award, named after the Prize’s founder, was launched. The first prize is £1,000 plus a up to a year’s mentoring from The Literary Consultancy through their Chapter & Verse scheme. A runner-up prize of £500 is also offered. Three shortlisted writers will receive £100. The opening chapters from the winning novel and the runner-up novel will be published on the website.

The Dorset Award is a prize specifically for Dorset writers. Thanks to the sponsorship of The Book Shop of Bridport, £100 is awarded to the highest placed Dorset writer in the Bridport Prize each year.

For more information and to send your work