Local Poets Asked To Take Inspiration From History And Heritage
28 March 2013
Budding poets are being asked to be inspired by history and heritage for this year's Buxton Poetry Competition
Poets of all ages are encouraged to be inspired by history and heritage and put pen to paper for the sixth Buxton Poetry Competition, part of the Buxton Festival which is sponsored by the University of Derby Buxton.
The Open Poetry category accepts entries from poets over the age of 19, the Young People's category is for budding poets aged between 12 and 18 and those under the age of 12 are particularly encouraged to enter the Children's Poetry competition.
The competition, which is organised by Buxton Festival and the University of Derby Buxton, has attracted several thousand entries in the past five years from across the UK and other countries including America, Australia and Canada.
Cash prizes totalling £600 should tempt entrants to the Open Category while young people and children have the chance to win book tokens. All 15 finalists' work will also be displayed between the pillars of the impressive Devonshire Dome at the University of Derby Buxton Campus during Buxton Festival in July and then throughout August 2013.
The Open Category will be judged by the acclaimed performance poet Philip Wells, also known as 'The Fire Poet'. The Young People's and Children's category will be judged by Dr Teresa Barnard, Lecturer at the University of Derby and Maria Carnegie,the Library Services Manager at the Devonshire Campus.
Buxton Poetry Competition is not only a great annual event but can really help the poets who enter.
Yvonne Green, a poet who was commended in the competition in 2012 for her poem Welcome to Britain, was delighted when following her success in Buxton Poetry Competition her poem was chosen to be included in a national poetry journal. Yvonne has also been invited to read at a range of poetry events and Festivals as a result of her successful reading at Buxton.
Yvonne comments, 'I was delighted that my poem was commended in the 2012 Competition. The poem's progress into a print journal and an invitation to run Hendon Library's monthly poetry group were further highlights'.
The 2013 Buxton Poetry Competition The top prize is £300 and the chance to read at the poetry awards at Buxton Festival in July. The competition's enthusiastic Patron, Lady Jasmine Cavendish, daughter of the Duke of Devonshire, is looking forward to meeting the finalists and hearing the winners poetry at the Awards event at the Devonshire Campus.
The deadline for entry is April 8th 2013. Entry packs can be downloaded from www.derby.ac.uk/buxtonpoetrycompetition.
Please call Claire Rhodes on 01298 70385 or email claire@buxtonfestival.co.uk for an entry form to be posted or emailed to you and for further details about the competition
