The 2026 Charles Causley International Poetry Competition is now open for entries!
Enter by filling in the form below.
We are thrilled that this year’s Head Judge is the beyond talented and acclaimed poet Fiona Benson. Shortlisting judges include an array of wonderful poets associated with the Charles Causley Trust.
The theme this year is Family, whatever that may mean to you.
If you are unable to enter online, you can enter by post, though this year we are encouraging a paperless entry process contributing to our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and find ways of making our activities more sustainable.
Please make sure that you read the Rules of Entry carefully before entering.
The closing date for the competition is midnight on 4 January 2026 and the winners will be informed in March 2026 and awarded at the Launceston Poetry Festival (1-3 May 2026).
- The first prize winner will receive £1,000 and a weeklong residency in Cyprus Well.
- The second prize winner will receive £200.
- The third prize winner will receive £100.
- Podium winners will also receive Launceston Poetry Festival 2026 general passes.
- There will also be two Highly Commended placed poets.
SUBMISSIONS PORTAL
As already mentioned, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and finding ways of making our activities more sustainable. We urge those entering our competition to do so online as follows:
- Fill in the form below, attach your poem(s) and submit to enter.
- Please read the guidelines for formatting in our Rules of Entry document below before your upload to check you are using the right spacing and page size.
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If you need to enter by post, please read our Rules of Entry document (attached above) for further instructions.
Please see our Rules of Entry document for further information and our terms and conditions.
Reach out to rita.camposteixeira@causleytrust.org for any questions or concerns.