The Laurel Prize was established by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage in 2019 in association with Poetry School. It is an annual award for the best collection of nature or environmental poetry to highlight the climate crisis and raise awareness of the challenges and potential solutions at this critical point in our planet’s life.

This year, the Laurel Prize Weekend is held in Bradford, the UK City of Culture 2025, in partnership with BBC Contains Strong Language Festival, University of Leeds, and National Landscapes. The weekend will consist of a Prize-Giving ceremony on Friday 19 September, and a day of workshops with esteemed judges Kathleen Jamie and Daljit Nagra on Saturday 20 September.

Our Laurel Poet-in-Residence will attend the weekend in person, including the Prize-Giving ceremony and workshops, whilst absorbing the atmosphere and reflecting on the urgency of the Laurel Prize’s themes and ethos. They will write a new poem for Poetry School to publish, using any aspect of the experience that has been of inspiration, alongside a short reflective blog.

This residency is for an early or mid-career poet. ( You must not have published a full collection of poetry.) You must live, work, study, or have a meaningful connection with the North of England.

Find out more here 

Deadline: noon on Tuesday 5 August 2025