The biennial Leeds Peace Poetry Competition has become a well-established event.
Partnered with the University of Leeds Poetry Centre, which administers the judging and hosts the prize-giving, it has, over the years attracted thousands of entries from people of all ages, not just from the City but also from many parts of the world.
The main aims are to increase skills in poetry and to encourage the exploration of peace and justice issues through creative writing. Prizes are awarded in three categories: adult, secondary school and primary school.
Recent venues at the university for prize-givings include the Poetry Centre and the Great Hall. Ian Duhig, Helen Mort, Malika Booker, Simon Armitage (main image), Zaffar Kunial, Rommi Smith and Jason Allen-Paisant have all been Chief Judges. Themes for competitions have included ‘Water’, ‘Food Inequalities’, and ‘Global Health Justice’.
The theme for 2024 is ‘Fire’. This year, the chief judges are: Emily Zobel Marshall, a Reader in Postcolonial Literature, at Leeds Beckett University; and Matt Howard, the Douglas Caster Fellow in Poetry at the University of Leeds.
The theme is in response to recent images and news of climate change, global warming and wildfires. It is a reminder of the tragic circumstances of war-torn countries and zones, and of refugees fleeing for safety, many losing their lives in the process. As a City of Sanctuary, Leeds is part of a national movement to build a culture for people seeking sanctuary in the UK.
University’s Great Hall. Photo Richard Wilcocks (probably)
The prizes will be presented at a gala event in June 2024. Prizes for adults and for pupils will be in the form of book tokens. Individual prizes for children not connected with a school will also be awarded. Winning poems will be published on the Leeds Peace Poetry Competition website, along with the winning poems from previous years.
“From my own point of view as Director of the University of Leeds Poetry Centre – and as a poet myself – this is obviously a fantastic opportunity to engage with a wider public in the making of poems.” Professor John Whale.
You can find out more here. NOTE: The deadline for submissions is 29 February 2024.
Main photograph: Simon Armitage, recent Chief Judge of the competition. Photograph by Richard Wilcocks.
