Young Poets Network

Young Critics Scheme 2025: meet the cohort Ten young writers have been chosen to take part in the fourth Young Critics Scheme, a partnership between The Poetry Society and the T.S. Eliot Prize Anisha Minocha · Anna Jones Aphra Le Levier-Bennett · Caleb Simon Freya Gillard · Ishita Uppadhayay Jay Mitra · Lucas Sheridan · Molly Knox Shannon Clinton-Copeland

The Poetry Society and the T.S. Eliot Prize are thrilled to announce the ten reviewers selected for this year's Young Critics Scheme. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel later for their video reviews of the T.S. Eliot Prize shortlist!

Find out more: poetrysociety.org.uk/news/t-s-eli...

The results of our collaboration with @youngpoetsnet.bsky.social are now available to read online!

ypn.poetrysociety.org.uk/workshop/div...

Congratulations to Rucha Virmani with the winning poem 'December Heat' (written in response to 'And more' by Felícia Fuster, translated by Marialena Carr.)

We love this piece celebrating the Young Critics Scheme over on the T.S. Eliot Prize website!

Since 2022, we've partnered with the Prize to train up ten young people to review the shortlist via video. Find out more & watch them back: tseliot.com/prize/seriou...

Aged 18-25, based in the UK or Ireland, & interested in contemporary poetry? One week left! Apply to the 2025 Young Critics Scheme by Monday 18 August

This partnership programme offers ten emerging poetry reviewers aged 18-25 in the UK and Ireland the opportunity to review, via video, the poetry collections shortlisted for this year’s T.S. Eliot Prize.

We are looking for writers who: are excited, engaged and thoughtful readers of contemporary British and Irish poetry can demonstrate good critical thinking and writing skills are committed to developing these skills and learning more about reviewing poetry are comfortable with video recording themselves and sharing those videos online No previous reviewing or poetry writing experience is required!

As part of the scheme, you’ll... Attend online workshops to develop your skills in reviewing, creating video content, and writing for publication Learn from established poetry critics: Helen Bowell: Ledbury Poetry Critic with reviews in The Poetry Review, Magma, The North, Poetry Wales and Ink, Sweat & Tears Sana Goyal: Editor and Publishing Director of Wasafiri with reviews in The Guardian, Financial Times, Times Literary Supplement, and more

Aged 18-25, based in the UK or Ireland, & interested in contemporary poetry?

You've got one week left to apply for the 2025 Young Critics Scheme, run in partnership with the T.S. Eliot Prize! You'll attend workshops with leading critics and create a video review.

Apply: bit.ly/YoungCriticsScheme

This partnership programme offers ten emerging poetry reviewers aged 18-25 in the UK and Ireland the opportunity to review, via video, the poetry collections shortlisted for this year's T.S. Eliot Prize.

We are looking for writers who: are excited, engaged and thoughtful readers of contemporary British and Irish poetry can demonstrate good critical thinking and writing skills are committed to developing these skills and learning more about reviewing poetry are comfortable with video recording themselves and sharing those videos online No previous reviewing or poetry writing experience is required!

As part of the scheme, you’ll... Attend online workshops to develop your skills in reviewing, creating video content, and writing for publication Learn from established poetry critics: Helen Bowell: Ledbury Poetry Critic with reviews in The Poetry Review, Magma, The North, Poetry Wales and Ink, Sweat & Tears Sana Goyal: Editor and Publishing Director of Wasafiri with reviews in The Guardian, Financial Times, Times Literary Supplement, and more

You’ll also... Join a network of poetry critics, many of whom have published reviews in leading magazines and journals Attend the T.S. Eliot Prize shortlist readings in London in January 2026 It’s completely free to take part. We can offer bursaries towards travelling to and staying in London. Find out more & apply by Monday 18 August: bit.ly/Apply-YCS

Aged 18-25, based in the UK or Ireland, & interested in contemporary poetry?

We've just opened up applications for the 2025 Young Critics Scheme, run in partnership with the T.S. Eliot Prize! You'll attend workshops with leading critics and create a video review.

Find out more: bit.ly/4kKf0i0

The young poets network logo where the words `young poets network’ are joined by a diverse range of very individual poetic beings.

Are you a nature inspired poet aged 25 or under?

Compose a piece of #poetry on the wonderful world of #bogs & #peatlands & you could get published on the @youngpoetsnet.bsky.social.

Enter The Bog Challenge competition below. Deadline 10th Aug 2025. ✍️

ypn.poetrysociety.org.uk/workshop/bog...

The new set of Poems on the Underground is here!

Did you know you can get your hands on Poems on the Underground posters via The Poetry Society? Head to our online shop to get yours: poetrysociety.org.uk/product-category/poems-on-the-underground/

We've still got a handful of tickets left for our Young Poets Takeover at the weekend. Join us from 2pm on Saturday 31 May at The Poetry Cafe in London to hear from the rising stars of the poetry world!

Find out more and book your space: bit.ly/YoungPoetsTakeover25

We're thrilled to be teaming up with Modern Poetry in Translation again for our latest writing challenge on Young Poets Network.

Find out more and enter by 22 June: bit.ly/YPN-MPT

Graphic advertising an internship. A light blue background with an illustration of a young person reading a book in the bottom right corner. Black text reads 'Internship. Former Foyle Young Poets! week-long paid internships based in our office in Covent Garden, London, gain arts admin experience, support our education programme & learn about the sector. Find out more bit.ly/TPSIntern

Former Foyle Young Poets! We're offering 2 paid week-long internships this summer.

To be eligible, you must be a former winner/ commended poet in the Foyle Young Poets Award, be aged 18+ & based in the UK or Ireland.

Find out more at bit.ly/TPSIntern and apply by 5pm Monday 16 June!

Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for the Poetry Wales Award!

We're especially pleased to see #FoyleYoungPoets Heather Chapman and Ginny Darke, and Young Poets Networker ( @youngpoetsnet.bsky.social ) Zain Rishi have made the list 🎉

Free virtual open mic for poets aged 14-25! Friday 6 June, 5pm-6:30pm UK time Open to young poets worldwide Come along to hear headline slots from YPN challenge winners - plus an exclusive Q&A! Young Poets Takeover Book your space at bit.ly/JuneTakeover

🎤 Join us at 5pm on Friday 6 June to hear from the rising stars of the poetry world!

Find out more and reserve your space (quick, our open mic slots disappear pretty quickly!) at bit.ly/JuneTakeover.

Amazing! Find more prompts and enter the challenge by 22 June: bit.ly/YPN-MPT

You could win poetry goodies including a digital subscription to Modern Poetry in Translation magazine 👀

Aged 13-25? Come along to our next Young Poets Takeover Saturday 31 May 2-4:30pm The Poetry Cafe 22 Betterton Street London Hear poetry from today's most exciting young voices Sign up for the open mic & perform your own work Meet other young poets! bit.ly/YoungPoetsTakeover25 “I really liked the welcoming environment of this open mic: it was a great first experience!”

Calling all young poets: come along to our next Young Poets Takeover!

Takeovers are free poetry open mics for under 25s. Come along to hear from the up-and-coming stars of the poetry world…

Tickets are free, but booking is essential: bit.ly/YoungPoetsTakeover25

This afternoon, a group of Foyle Young Poets and Young Poets Networkers attended a poetry workshop at the Estorick Collection, all about getting inspired by visual art and breaking the rules of language. Thank you to Luca, the Collection's Learning Officer, for facilitating!

A poetry prompt for NaPoWriMo by Luke Worthy that reads: 'Take the title of a song from your playlist and add a typo that changes the meaning dramatically e.g Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie can become Bog Girls Don't Cry. Let this new, incorrect title be the jumping off point for your next poem.'

✍️ #NaPoWriMo is here with the challenge to write a poem a day! Throughout April, The Poetry Society will be featuring poetry writing prompts created by poets that we've worked with recently through competitions, publications and projects.
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Calling all young poets! The challenge: write a poem that breaks the rules. Deadline 28 April. Open to poets worldwide aged 5-25. Enter on Young Poets Network

Calling all young poets: writing challenge alert!

Young Poets Network is teaming up with the Estorick Collection to ask you to write poems that break the rules in some way. Send us poems that flout poetic form, or even do away with using the page for poetry entirely…

Enter at bit.ly/YPNEstorick

Selected winners will be published on Young Poets Network and offered prizes including poetry ebooks and performance opportunities. This challenge is free to enter and open to young poets aged 5-25 (inclusive) worldwide. You can enter as many poems as you like.

Deadline 28 April.

Calling all young poets! The challenge: write a poem that breaks the rules. Open to poets worldwide aged 5 to 25. Enter on Young Poets Network

Prizes include publication, poetry books & performance opportunities Multimedia submissions are eligible (and encouraged!) Entry is free - you can submit as many poems as you like Find prompts & enter at bit.ly/YPNEstorick

Calling all young poets: new writing challenge alert!

We’re teaming up with the Estorick Collection to ask you to write poems that break the rules. Send us poems that flout poetic form, or even do away with using the page for poetry entirely…

Find prompts on Young Poets Network: bit.ly/YPNEstorick

Only 3 days left to enter! The challenge: write a poem in couplets. Open to poets worldwide aged 5-25. Find out more --> ID: Two swans against a pale yellow background with an orange star behind them.

Prizes include publication, poetry books & performance opportunities Entry is free: you can enter as many poems as you like. No set theme. Find prompts and enter at bit.ly/CoupletsYPN

Three days left to enter the
Couplets Challenge on Young Poets Network!

The challenge: write a poem in couplets. You could win poetry books, performance opportunities, and more.

Find out more and enter by midnight (UK time) on
Sunday 9 March: bit.ly/CoupletsYPN

Illustration of four paper boats in blue, red, green and white, floating on some dark blue water. The ripples spell out the words 'Foyle Young Poets of the Year'.

Our flagship talent development programme for poets aged 11-17, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, is open for entries!

Judged this year by the fabulous Colette Bryce & Will Harris!

Free to enter. Poems can be any theme and must be under 40 lines.

Deadline = 31 July foyleyoungpoets.org

Selected winners will be published on Young Poets Network and offered prizes including poetry ebooks and performance opportunities. This challenge is free to enter and open to young poets aged 5-25 (inclusive) worldwide. You can enter as many poems as you like.

Deadline 28 April.

The challenge: write a poem that breaks the rules. Deadline 28 April Open to poets worldwide aged 5-25 Find out more >>

Prizes include publication, poetry books & performance opportunities Multimedia submissions are eligible (and encouraged!) Entry is free - you can submit as many poems as you like Find prompts & enter at bit.ly/YPNEstorick

Calling all young poets: new writing challenge alert!

We’re teaming up with the Estorick Collection to ask you to write poems that break the rules. Send us poems that flout poetic form, or even do away with using the page for poetry entirely…

Find prompts on Young Poets Network: bit.ly/YPNEstorick

2013, and Daedalus never moved away for work - Lewis Corry bike-strung boy sun-licked spark of rubber and steel you soar down the driveway arms spread like wings it is a wonderful thing to fly and there is no greater occasion than being alive

In case you missed it, #FoyleYoungPoet Lewis Corry's poem '2013, and Daedalus never moved away for work' is featured in the latest set of Poems on the Underground.

Watch Lewis talking about what poetry means to him on BBC London: (about 25 minutes in!) bbc.in/41wMfyM

We can't wait!

Continuing our Writers' Habits series is Nisha Patel, who encourages seeking inspiration through exploration.

Thank you, Nisha!

The challenge: write a poem in couplets. Open to poets worldwide aged 5-25. Deadline 9 March.

Prizes include publication, poetry books & performance opportunities Entry is free: you can enter as many poems as you like. No set theme. Find prompts and enter at bit.ly/CoupletsYPN

Roses are red, violets are blue,
In our new writing challenge, we’re asking you…

to write a poem using couplets!
Find more prompts and enter: bit.ly/CoupletsYPN

Free and open to 5-25s worldwide.
Deadline Sunday 9 March 2025.