Bedford International Poetry Competition 2026 — The Bedford Competition, UK (First Prize £2,000)
The Bedford Competition
October 31, 2026 (32 publicSeo.openCall.daysLeft)Bedford, England, UK (online entry worldwide; postal entries from the UK only)
Annual international poetry competition run since 2012 by The Bedford Competition, a nonprofit group in Bedford, England.
publicSeo.openCall.benefits
Main prizes £2,000, £400 and £300; separate Cygnature Poetry Prize (£300) for entrants aged 17–25 and Bedford Poetry Prize (£200) for Bedford residents. Prizewinning and shortlisted poems are published in an anthology; winners are celebrated at the presentation event. 2026 main poetry judge: Fran Lock.
publicSeo.openCall.eligibility
Open to anyone aged 17 and over, from anywhere in the world. Poems of up to 40 lines, in English, unpublished (including online) and not prize-winning elsewhere; anonymous judging. Up to three poems per entry form, no limit on entries. Overseas entries online only. Poems created with AI are rejected.
Dates & details
- Deadline
- 23:59 GMT
- Costs to the artist
- Entry fee only; submission online
publicSeo.openCall.award
£2,000 first prize; £400 second; £300 third
publicSeo.openCall.applicationFee
£8.50 per entry, 3 for £17; full-time students £6 (3 for £12)