The deadline is nearing for the annual Peacock Poetry Prize at Brighton Festival. The prize encourages young writers to explore the written word from a creative point of view. The organisers are aiming to get young people across Sussex to see poetry as a way of communication and a different type of creative writing. This year the theme, chosen by Brighton Festival’s Guest Director David Shrigley, is ‘hard work’, a subject inspired by his book of the same title.
Every one, at some point in their life, has to work hard to accomplish their goal. Whether that be something small like finishing your homework or larger scale like breaking a bad habit or building a relationship, there comes a point that we have to put a little extra effort in. The Peacock Poetry Prize is open to 11-19 year olds with each age group being split into a category of it’s own. Submissions are divided and judged as follows, 11-13 years, 14-16 years, 13-16 years and 17-19 year olds. Those entering the prize may submit up to three poems with a maximum length of 14 lines per poem.
Brighton Festival is the largest and most established annual curated multi-arts festival in England with a host of weird and wonderful events taking place in venues both familiar and unusual across Brighton for three weeks every May. Brighton is a city known for it’s arts and culture, whether it be music, theatre, dance, art or film there is something going on every day of the week. For this reason, Brighton Festival has become renowned for it’s pioneering spirit and experimental reputation and the Peacock Poetry Prize is a real chance for young budding writers to get their work seen amongst some of the world’s best. Pippa Toole, Brighton Festival’s Children and Family Producer, said “The Peacock Poetry Prize offers a great opportunity for young people to have their writing seriously appraised and appreciated. Our panel of judges reads and discusses every poem and it is always a struggle to decide which of our many talented entrants will be invited to the finalists’ award party where the winners are announced.”
The Peacock Poetry Prize is being sponsored by BHASVIC this year, who have a renowned English department and this year have had 57 students gain an offer from Oxbridge University Colleges. William Baldwin, Principal of BHASVIC said “BHASVIC is proud to be sponsoring the Peacock Poetry Prize. Poetry is imaginations language, helping us understand and appreciate the world around us. A great poem can describe what we ourselves have no words for. As poetry is such a universal vehicle of human expression it is vital that we continue to nurture a love for it in the younger generation.”
The competition is open to residents of Brighton & Hove and East and West Sussex. The deadline for entries is this coming Monday (16th April) so be quick with your creativity!
Entries should be emailed to [email protected] or posted to Peacock Poetry Prize, Brighton Festival, 12a Pavilion Buildings, Castle Square, Brighton, BN1 1EE.
