The Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition is open!

  • News
  • 21 August 2023
The Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition is open!

Calling all writers, creatives and budding poets - The Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition is open for submissions!

Our theme this year is ‘A Truth’, inspired by a statement from the sadly deceased poet Lucie Brock-Broido:

"Though I am wildly capable of certain linguistic fabrications, I am in it for the truth. OK: a truth."

We are looking for poems which examine the notion of truth and subjectivity, that resist certainties. Our theme is deliberately broad to inspire poems on a variety of topics, while engaging with the notion of what truth means to you. Your poetry could use vivid imagery and use poetic forms in interesting ways to interrogate what you feel is a truth. Be guided by intuition.

Prizes and entries 

We are offering a winning prize of £200, with £50 for second place, and £25 for third place. There will also be 10 highly commended poems with no financial renumeration.

Each poem equals one entry. The first submission is free, if poets wish to submit more than one poem, each additional entry is £5.

Payments for additional entries can be made here. Please include confirmation of payment in the body of your submissions email. All payments will then be checked against entries, and any addtional entries made without payment will not be counted.  

Poems must be unpublished. Poems must be no longer than 30 lines. Entrants can be of any or no faith. No previous experience of creative writing or poetry required. All are welcome.

Submissions should be sent to Enable JavaScript to view protected content. with a small biographical note in the email

Entries are open until midnight on October 31 and winning poems will be announced on Monday December 4.

Entries will be judged by Cathedral Writer in Residence Tom Branfoot, poets Charlotte Shevchenko Knight and Maryam Hessavi, and Dean of Manchester Rogers Govender.

If you have any questions about the theme or general enquiries, do not hesitate to contact Enable JavaScript to view protected content.