The Inspiring Voices Poetry Festival competition
Hosted by English Heritage and The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH), The Inspiring Voices Poetry Festival invites young poets aged 11-25 to submit poems exploring England’s heritage sites, and how they can be used to create an original piece of writing, as part of the online part of the festival.
Entrants may only submit one piece of writing. Written poems must have a maximum of 40 lines. Spoken/performed and multimedia poems must have a time limit of 3 minutes. Experimental and hybrid poems must be accompanied with a clear description of intent and required playback conditions e.g., interactive elements or digital platforms needed.
Winners in the 11-14 Category, 15-17 Category and 18-25 Category will receive:
- Invitation to attend and perform their piece at the Schwarzman centre in Oxford in June 2026. Travel and accommodation costs covered for winner and one other (must be an adult if entrant is under 18).
- English Heritage Membership for 1 year
- Collection of Literary works
- Branded poetry anthology containing their creative response
- Mentoring from an industry expert
- Certificate
- Other prizes that are to be determined
Runners-up across all categories will receive a certificate and selection of prizes. Those marked as Highly Commended will receive a certificate.
