The 2026 Perpendicular Prize is now open for entries!

After a successful debut last year, the team behind the Perpendicular Poetry Prize is running the competition again, with a first place prize of £200.

Held in memory of poet Clive Gresswell, the Prize is the brainchild of Clive’s family and aims to encourage absurdist and innovative poetry from all walks and corners.

Clive’s son Elliott explained “In its last incarnation, were delighted to receive a huge variety of entries, dealing with subjects from grief to mental health to politics in a wide range of different moods, tones, and formats. This time we’re hoping for more of the same – your best, strangest, most innovative poems. It’s our hope this competition will inspire new writers, as well as encourage old(er) writers to experiment with forms they might not get away with elsewhere.

Daughter Sophie, continued “We’ll also be including a Junior category this year, to encourage young people to approach poetry. If you’re teacher who’d like to get involved, send us an email, or enter for your class via our website.”

An open poetry workshop will take place on Sunday 29 March at Brown Books Community Bookshop from 11am to 3pm, and the junior award ceremony will also be held there on Saturday 6 June from 2-4pm. 

The adult prize ceremony will be held at the Bricklayer’s Arms on Sunday 7 June from 2pm and 4pm.

The Perpendicular Poetry Prize funded by Luton Arts, and is being supported by Luton Literature CIC, Brown Books Community Bookshop and The Bricklayers Arms.

More information can be found by visiting www.perpendicularpoems.com

Please send any queries or submissions to PerpendicularPoems@gmail.com before April 23.