Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2018

Every year, six young people scoop a total of £5000 in prize-money for writing a poem. Our first prize is £3000, second £1500, and third £500, with three runner-up prizes of £250 each. And all this for a poem on a set theme, judged each year by a panel of successful contemporary poets.

The theme this year is ‘Secrets’.

The competition is completely free to enter. It’s open to people aged between 16 and 18, who are in full or part-time education in the UK. Every single entry is read and judged anonymously.

Our winners come to a presentation event in Oxford, in Christ Church, and the top three each year win places on our Tower Poetry Summer School, held every two years in August, also in Christ Church.

Since 2000, the Tower Competition has been the most lucrative award for young British poets, and has seen many winners go on to writing careers. This year, the entries will be judged by poets Christopher Reid, John Fuller, and Peter McDonald.

To enter the competition, go to the Tower Poetry Competition website. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated.

The closing date for entries is the 2 March 2018.

Winners will be announced on the 29 March 2018.