About the Award

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The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is now firmly established as the key award for young writers aged between 11 and 17 years. Each year 100 winners (85 Commendations and 15 Overall Winners) are selected by a team of high profile judges, and receive their awards at an annual prize-giving event on National Poetry Day. 

Overall  Winners from the 15 to 17 age category attend a week-long intensive residential Arvon course where they develop their creative writing skills and establish peer support structures. Winners aged 11-14 group benefit from poetry residencies at their school followed by distance mentoring. See what previous winners got up to at their week long Arvon course here

The Award had two major causes for celebration in 2010. We received the highest-ever number of entries – over 20,000 in total – of a remarkably impressive standard, much-praised by the judges. And, crucially, the Foyle Foundation secured the future of the competition until 2013, with a generous commitment to a further three years’ funding

Alongside the prizes Winners benefit from on-going support and encouragement, via publication, performance, promotion and internship opportunities. In the past 12 months we’ve showcased Foyle Winners at prestigious events such as the opening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon; National Poetry Day Live! at Southbank Centre, London; StAnza Poetry Festival, St Andrews; and the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Read what other people have been saying about the award and see some of the publications of former winners

Find out more about previous years of the Award

With the competition as its focus, the  Award also incorporates a year-round programme of activity aimed at encouraging creativity and literacy in young people, supported by lesson plans and additional poet-led opportunities in schools. The scheme also recognises and nurtures best practice in creative writing teaching, identifying committed ‘teacher trailblazers’ to act as teacher mentors.

See our Education Pages for our full programme of work with schools and young people, in particular our SLAMbassadors spoken word championship and our membership opportunities.