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A Poet in Every Port: The Word Exchange competition terms and conditions

Please read the terms & conditions detailed below before entering our A Poet in Every Port: The Word Exchange poetry competition.

1. Introduction

The Southbank Centre (Southbank Centre Limited of Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX) (“Southbank Centre”) is running a national competition on Instagram and TikTok where the winner will be given a performance slot at the Southbank Centre during the London Literature Festival 2027 to perform their winning Word Exchange poem to a live audience (the “Competition”).

Southbank Centre will select one winner from the eligible entries it receives in accordance with these terms.

 

2. How to enter

2.1.  The application window will run from 10:00am (BST) on 22 May 2026 (the “Opening Date”) to 11:59pm (BST) on 30 November 2026 (the “Closing Date”) inclusive.

2.2.  All entries must be received by Southbank Centre by no later than 11:59pm (BST) on the Closing Date.

2.3.  No entry fee or purchase is necessary to enter the Competition.

2.4  To submit your entry:

  • (a) compose your Word Exchange poem using the activity guide available in English, Gaelic and Welsh
  • (b) share your Word Exchange poem by posting an original video on Instagram or TikTok of yourself performing your Word Exchange poem tagging @SouthbankCentre and #APoetinEveryPort; and
  • (c) submit the online entry form linked from the A Poet In Every Port Word Exchange competition webpage by the Closing Date.

2.5  Your profile must be on a public setting and your entry video must be available to view three months after the Closing Date.

2.6 Southbank Centre will not accept:

  • (a) responsibility for entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, website, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or
  • (b) proof of posting or transmission as proof of receipt of entry.

2.7 By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

2.8 For help with entries, please contact us at [email protected].

2.9 The entries will be judged by a panel of three judges. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final.

 

3. Eligibility

3.1 The Competition is only open to residents in the UK aged 16 years or over, except:

  • (a) employees of Southbank Centre, Instagram, TikTok or their holding or subsidiary companies;
  • (b) employees of agents or suppliers of employees of Southbank Centre, Instagram, TikTok or their holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the Competition, the London Literature Festival 2027 or their administration; or
  • (c) members of the immediate families or households of (a) and (b) above.

3.2  In submitting an entry, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to participate in the Competition. Southbank Centre may require you to provide proof of your eligibility.

3.3  Southbank Centre will not accept entries that are:

  • (a) automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications);
  • (b) contain content that is not original or which infringes the rights of any third party, including intellectual property rights such as copyright and trademarks;
  • (c) obscene or offensive.

3.4  There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.

3.5  Southbank Centre reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the Competition or the London Literature Festival 2027.

 

4. Succesful entrant

4.1 Prize: There will be one winner who will receive a single performance slot at the London Literature Festival 2027 taking place in Autumn 2027.

4.2 Southbank Centre will cover:

    • (a) One return standard class rail or public transport fare from the winner’s usual place of residence to a London station. All further travel within London will be the responsibility of the winner;
    • (b) One night of accommodation in a standard double-occupancy room at a hotel of the Southbank Centre’s choosing. This covers the room rate only, all other costs will be the responsibility of the winner;
    • (c) Two online mentoring sessions with an established poet. These sessions will be scheduled prior to the performance date in 2027;
    • (d) Two complimentary tickets to the winner’s performance. These tickets are for the use of the winner’s invited guests and are non-transferable.

4.3 The prize carries no cash value, is non-exchangeable and may not be substituted by the winner.

4.4 The decision of Southbank Centre is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

4.5 Southbank Centre will contact the successful entrant personally as soon as practicable after the Announcement Date, using the telephone number or email address provided with the entry.

4.6 The winner will have 14 days of notification to claim their prize. If they cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize, Southbank Centre reserves the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement.

4.7 After claiming the prize, Southbank Centre will notify the winner as soon as practicable when their performance slot will take place at the London Literature Festival 2027, using the telephone number or email address provided with the entry. If for any reason the winner is unable to perform at the London Literature Festival 2027 on the relevant date, they must notify Southbank Centre as soon as possible and Southbank Centre reserves the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement.

4.8 Southbank Centre may publish or make available information that indicates that a winner has been selected. If you object to any or all of your name, Instagram handle and/or entry post being published or made available, please contact Southbank Centre at [email protected].

4.9 Southbank Centre may record the winner’s performance at the London Literature Festival 2027 for documenting, fundraising or promotional purposes and publish the recording on its media channels whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the Competition, the London Literature Festival 2027 or Southbank Centre and its activities. If you object to a recording of your performance being published or made available, please contact Southbank Centre at [email protected].

 

5. Limitation of liability

Insofar as is permitted by law, Southbank Centre, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate entrants or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of applying or participating in the Competition or the London Literature Festival 2027 except where it is caused by the negligence of Southbank Centre, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Southbank Centre does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take part in the Competition or the London Literature Festival 2027.

 

6. Ownership of applications and intellectual property rights

6.1 Southbank Centre does not claim any rights of ownership in your entry.

6.2 By submitting your entry and any accompanying material, you agree to waive absolutely all moral rights, in and to your entry and otherwise arising in connection with your entry to which you may now or at any time in the future be entitled under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended from time to time and under all similar legislation from time to time in force anywhere in the world.

6.3 You agree that Southbank Centre may, in their sole discretion, make your entry available on its website and in any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the Competition, the London Literature Festival 2027 or Southbank Centre and its activities. You grant Southbank Centre a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable licence in perpetuity, for the full period of the intellectual property rights in the application, to use, display, publish, transmit, copy, edit, alter, store, re-format and sub-licence the intellectual property rights in the entry for such purposes.

 

7. Data protection and publicity

Southbank Centre will only process your personal information as set out in our privacy policy.

 

8. General

8.1 If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, Southbank Centre may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from applying for or participating in the Competition or the London Literature Festival 2027.

8.2 Southbank Centre reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the entry process and/or the Competition where it becomes necessary to do so.

8.3 You acknowledge and agree that the Competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram and TikTok. Insofar as is permitted by law, Instagram and TikTok will have no liability in connection with the Competition howsoever arising.

8.4 These terms and conditions are governed by English law. If any applicants wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts in the United Kingdom.