2022 Young People’s Poetry Competition

Our Young People’s Poetry Competition is now closed for entries!

The winners will be contacted w/c 20th June and the results will be announced on our website w/c 11th July.

Thank you to all who have entered this year’s competition!

Our poetry competition is a chance for students to use their imagination, improve their creative writing skills, gain confidence, and win some fantastic literary prizes!

This free-to-enter competition is open to all secondary school students age, whether you’re an aspiring poet or a complete beginner.

Listen to competition judge Andy Craven-Griffiths as he shares all the information you’ll need!


This year, poems should be inspired by the theme of

Looking Out

You can write about anything, as long as it is inspired by the theme of looking out. Need some ideas?

Looking out of a window or a submarine
Looking out for a friend or the environment
Looking out towards space or the mountains
Looking outside the box

However you interpret the theme, we want to see your work!


Age Categories

  • Years 7, 8 and 9
  • Years 10 and 11
  • Years 12 and 13

Please note that we run a separate Children’s Poetry Competition for Reception to Year 6. You can find more details here.


Prizes

  • Winners in each category will be invited to read their poems at a special prize giving event this summer.
  • Winners will receive book tokens
  • Winners and runners up will receive a book and a certificate.
  • Winners and runners up will have their own poems displayed on the ILF website.

Rules

  1. One entry per young poet. Please make sure it is original work.
  2. Poems should be on the subject of looking out.
  3. Poems should be no longer than 28 lines (excluding the title).
  4. Entries are open to Yorkshire and Lancashire residents only.

The competition will be judged by poet and writer Andy Craven-Griffiths. He will be looking for originality, use of language and distinct ideas.

ILF will accept any subject matter as long as there is an explicit link to the theme of looking out.

ILF are unable to offer feedback on individual poems or enter into any correspondence regarding judging and selection.


Deadline

The competition is now closed for entries.

Any questions?

If you have any further questions, please contact info@ilkleylitfest.org.uk and we will be happy to help.