Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition

The prizes

This year we're offering five prizes for the first time. They include two special categories: the Sonnet Prize and the Local Prize, which is for the best poem by a writer living in Hertfordshire or Essex. Poems for all categories may be on any subject. The deadline for entries is 30th April 2026.

First prize £1,000

Second prize £500

Third prize £200

Sonnet prize £200 

Local prize: £200 for a poem by a resident of Hertfordshire or Essex

All winning and commended poems will be featured in our Ware Poets Open Competition 2026 Anthology, with an introduction by Keith Jarrett. Each poet published in the 2026 Anthology will be sent a complimentary copy.  The poem that wins first prize will be automatically entered for the Forward Prize and all prize-winning poems will be published on the Ware Poets website.

All prize-winning and commended poets will be invited to read their poem at an informal, celebratory prize-giving event. This will take place from 8-10.30pm on Friday 10th July 2026 at Southern Maltings Arts Centre in Ware, Hertfordshire. As with all our events, it’s open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend. Competition judge Keith Jarrett will present the prizes and treat us to a reading of his own poems in the second half.

Further copies of the 2026 Anthology will be available to order online from mid-July 2026.

We are very grateful to Andrew Geary for his steadfast and crucial support as Competition Secretary.

How to enter

For full details please read the entry rules.

To submit online first pay the entry fee of £5 per poem via PayPal, debit or credit card, below.

Once you have paid, email your poem/s as pdf or Word attachment/s to warepoetscomp@gmail.com with the following information in the body of the email:

• Your name and postal address.

• Please state clearly if you live in Hertfordshire or Essex and you will automatically be eligible for the Local Prize.

• The titles of all poems submitted.

• The date and your transaction ID from your PayPal receipt.

• Say KEEP ME INFORMED if you’d like us to let you know about our competitions, monthly poetry readings and occasional other literary news.

If you wish to post your entry, please download and complete our postal entry form.