The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2023
Tower prizes blast off for new heights.
2023: The planets
UK's top poetry prize for 16-18 year olds boosts rewards for young poets.
This year the Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes, the most prestigious awards for young poets in the UK, blast off with a newly increased first prize of £5,000, and a full set of awards worth more than £14,000.
The poet who writes the best single poem on the theme of 'The planets' receives a new first prize of £5,000. There will be a second prize of £3,000, and a third prize of £1,500.
Along with these, there will be ten runners up, who will each receive £500.
This makes the Christopher Tower competition by far the most lucrative prize for young British poets.
As well as this, the top three prize-winners will be given places on the Christopher Tower Summer School, where young poets work closely in Oxford alongside distinguished writers.
The competition is completely free to enter, and all British and Northern Irish 16-18 year-olds in full or part-time education are eligible to take part.
This year's judges are the poets Julia Copus and Gail McConnell, along with Tower Poetry's Peter McDonald. The winners will receive their prizes in Oxford in April.
The Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes have given over £110,000 to 16-18 year-olds and their schools since 2000. This year, it is time to defy gravity and take off - there is even more to be won.
The competition is now open! Read the full details on the Christ Church College website.
If you have any questions, please get in touch: [email protected]
