List of poetry awards
Encyclopedia
This is a list of awards that are, or have been, given out to writers of poetry
, either for a specific poem, collection of poems, or body of work.
Thousands of poetry awards and prizes are given throughout the world, ranging from the very well respected to those that are little more than cons scamming would-be poets of their money (usually in the form of entrance fees), so called Vanity Poetry Contests.
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of poetry awards; rather, it is a list of those awards which have entries on Wikipedia.
French language:
Awards given by the Academy of American Poets
Awards given by the Poetry Society of America
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, either for a specific poem, collection of poems, or body of work.
Thousands of poetry awards and prizes are given throughout the world, ranging from the very well respected to those that are little more than cons scamming would-be poets of their money (usually in the form of entrance fees), so called Vanity Poetry Contests.
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of poetry awards; rather, it is a list of those awards which have entries on Wikipedia.
Major international awards
- Bridport prizeBridport prizeThe Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition was founded in 1973 and has steadily grown in stature and prestige. Today many thousands of entries are received from over 80 countries. In many cases a win in the Bridport Prize has led to further successes and helped to launch new...
(International, First Prize=£5000) - Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry EveningsStruga Poetry EveningsStruga Poetry Evenings is an international poetry festival held annually in Struga, Republic of Macedonia. During the several decades of its existence, the Festival has awarded its most prestigious award, the Golden Wreath, to some of the most notable international poets, including: Mahmoud...
- Griffin Poetry PrizeGriffin Poetry PrizeThe Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. The awards go to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language....
(The international prize) - International Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine (Open First Prize=£5000)
- MAG Poetry PrizeMAG Poetry PrizeThe MAG Poetry Prize is an open online poetry competition that is judged by the community of entrants. A minimum 1st prize of £2,000 is guaranteed. There is no fixed prize fund. The prize fund accumulates at the rate of £2 per entry . The MAG Poetry Prize supports Mines Advisory Group. It was...
(Democratic poetry competition) - Montreal International Poetry PrizeMontreal International Poetry PrizeThe Montreal International Poetry Prize is an annual poetry competition based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
($50,000 prize for one poem) - Nobel Prize in LiteratureNobel Prize in LiteratureSince 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
(Not exclusively for poetry) - Rhysling Award (For science-fiction poetry)
Australia
- Anne Elder AwardAnne Elder AwardThe Anne Elder Trust Fund Award for poetry is administered by the Victorian branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers and is awarded annually, as the Anne Elder Award, for the best first book of poetry published in Australia. It was established in 1976 and currently has a prize of A$1000 for...
- Christopher Brennan AwardChristopher Brennan AwardThe Christopher Brennan Award is an Australian award given for lifetime achievement in poetry. The award, established circa 1976, takes the form of a bronze plaque; it recognizes a poet who produces work of "sustained quality and distinction"...
- C. J. Dennis Prize for PoetryC. J. Dennis Prize for PoetryThe C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry is awarded annually as part of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, for a significant selection of new work by a poet published in a book. It is named after the early twentieth century vernacular poet C. J...
- Grace Leven Prize for PoetryGrace Leven Prize for PoetryThe Grace Leven Prize for Poetry is an annual award given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work"...
- Harri Jones Memorial Prize for PoetryHarri Jones Memorial Prize for PoetryThe Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry is an annual prize awarded by the University of Newcastle, Australia, to “an Australian poet, not yet 36 years of age, whose work in the field of poetry is judged to be outstanding”. The Prize is name for T...
- Judith Wright PrizeJudith Wright PrizeThe Judith Wright Prize is awarded annually as part of the Arts ACT Poetry Prize for a book of poems published the previous year in book form by an Australian author.The prize currently comes with a $10,000 cash award.-2009:...
- Judith Wright Calanthe AwardJudith Wright Calanthe AwardThe Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Award is awarded annually as part of the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards for a book of collected poems or for a single poem of substantial length published in book form.-2009:...
- Kenneth Slessor Prize for PoetryKenneth Slessor Prize for PoetryThe Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is awarded annually as part of the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for a book of collected poems or for a single poem of substantial length published in book form...
- Mary Gilmore PrizeMary Gilmore PrizeThe Mary Gilmore Prize for the best first book of poetry is given to a first book of poetry from the previous two years; prior to 1998 it was awarded annually...
- The Roland Robinson Literary Award
- Thomas Shapcott Poetry PrizeThomas Shapcott Poetry PrizeThe Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize, named in honour of a distinguished Queensland poet, is a literary award for an unpublished poetry manuscript by a Queensland author...
- The Val Vallis Award
Canada
- Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for PoetryAqua Books Lansdowne Prize for PoetryAqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry/prix Lansdowne de poésie, established in 2007, is awarded annually to the best full length adult book of poetry in either French or English by a resident of Manitoba, Canada....
- Archibald Lampman AwardArchibald Lampman AwardThe Archibald Lampman Award is an annual Canadian literary award, created by Blaine Marchand, and presented by the literary magazine Arc, for the year's best work of poetry by a writer living in the National Capital Region.- History :...
- Atlantic Poetry PrizeAtlantic Poetry PrizeThe Atlantic Poetry Prize is a Canadian literary award, presented annually by the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, to the best work of poetry published by a writer from the Atlantic provinces.-Winners:*1998 - Carmelita McGrath, To the New World...
- Dorothy Livesay Poetry PrizeDorothy Livesay Poetry PrizeThe Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize, established in 1986, is awarded annually to the best collection of poetry by a resident of British Columbia, Canada.One of the B.C. Book Prizes, the award was originally known as the B.C. Prize for Poetry...
- Gerald Lampert AwardGerald Lampert AwardThe Gerald Lampert Memorial Award is made annually by the League of Canadian Poets to the best volume of poetry published by a first-time poet. It is presented in honour of poetry promoter Gerald Lampert...
— for the best volume of poetry by a new author - Griffin Poetry PrizeGriffin Poetry PrizeThe Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. The awards go to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language....
— a generous award for one Canadian and one foreign poet - Montreal International Poetry PrizeMontreal International Poetry PrizeThe Montreal International Poetry Prize is an annual poetry competition based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
— $50,000 prize for the best single poem - Pat Lowther AwardPat Lowther AwardThe Pat Lowther Memorial Award is an annual award presented by the League of Canadian Poets to the year's best book of poetry by a Canadian woman. It is presented in honour of poet Pat Lowther, who was murdered by her husband in 1975. Each winner receives an honorarium of $1000.-Winners:*1981 - M...
— for the best volume of poetry written by a woman - Prix Alain-GrandboisPrix Alain-GrandboisThe Prix Alain-Grandbois or Alain Grandbois Prize is awarded each year to an author for a book of poetry. The jury is composed of three members of the Académie des lettres du Québec...
- Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook AwardShaunt Basmajian Chapbook AwardThe Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award, established in 1996, was an annual prize given by the Canadian Poetry Association. It was named in memory of Shaunt Basmajian, a founder of the association. It was an annual manuscript publication competition and award...
Governor General's Awards
English language:- Governor General's Award for English language poetryGovernor General's Award for English language poetryThis is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Awards award for English-language poetry. The award was created in 1981 when the Governor General's Award for English language poetry or drama was divided.-1980s:...
- Governor General's Award for English language poetry or dramaGovernor General's Award for English language poetry or dramaThis is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for English-language poetry or drama. The award was created in 1937, the second year of the awards, and existed until 1980, when it was split into the separate awards for poetry and drama.-1930s:...
French language:
- Governor General's Award for French language poetryGovernor General's Award for French language poetryThis is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for French-language poetry. The award was created in 1981 when the Governor General's Award for French language poetry or drama was divided.-1980s:*1981: Michel Beaulieu, ...
- Governor General's Award for French language poetry or dramaGovernor General's Award for French language poetry or dramaThis is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for French-language poetry or drama. The award was created in 1959, alongside the other French language awards, and existed until 1980, when it was divided into the separate awards for poetry and drama.-1950s:*1959: Félix-Antoine Savard,...
India
In India there are two literary (National)awards besides other poetry awards :- Sahitya Akademi AwardSahitya Akademi AwardSahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of outstanding works in one of the following twenty-four major Indian languagesAssamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,...
given by Sahitya AkademiSahitya AkademiThe Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
, India's National Academy of Letters - Jnanpith AwardJnanpith AwardThe Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
- Ananda PurashkarAnanda PurashkarThe Ananda Purashkar is an award for Bengali literature awarded annually by Ananda Publishers to writers using Bengali, usually from West Bengal, India. Some of the recipients are mentioned below...
- Kalidas SammanKalidas sammanThe Kalidas Samman is a prestigious arts award presented annually by the government of Madhya Pradesh in India. The award is named after Kālidāsa, a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer of ancient India, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.The Kalidas Samman...
- Pampa Award
- Rabindra PuraskarRabindra PuraskarThe Rabindra Puraskar or the Rabindra Smriti Puraskar is the highest honorary literary award given in the Indian state of West Bengal. This award is administered by the Government of West Bengal under the aegis of the Paschimbanga Bangla Academy , Kolkata.The award is given for creative...
New Zealand
- Montana New Zealand Book Award for PoetryMontana New Zealand Book Award for PoetryThe Montana New Zealand Book Award for Poetry is one category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards, given out annually. The award carries a $5,000 prize for each winner of the category awards, including the award for poetry....
- Arts Foundation of New ZealandArts Foundation of New ZealandA facilitator of private philanthropy, the Arts Foundation of New Zealand supports artistic excellence through its permanent Endowment Fund. Legacies and donations help grow the Fund, with income generated enabling the Foundation to support the arts....
Icon, Laureate and New Generation Awards
United Kingdom
- Alice Hunt Bartlett PrizeAlice Hunt Bartlett PrizeThe Alice Hunt Bartlett Prize was awarded by the Poetry Society of London for a collection of poetry.-Winners:* 1966: Gavin Bantock for Christ: A Poem in 26 parts and Paul Roche for All Things Considered...
- Bridport PrizeBridport prizeThe Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition was founded in 1973 and has steadily grown in stature and prestige. Today many thousands of entries are received from over 80 countries. In many cases a win in the Bridport Prize has led to further successes and helped to launch new...
- Chancellor's Gold MedalChancellor's Gold MedalThe Chancellor's Gold Medal is a prestigious annual award at Cambridge University for poetry, paralleling Oxford University's Newdigate prize. It was first presented by Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh during his time as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge...
- Christopher Tower Poetry PrizesChristopher Tower Poetry PrizesThe Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes are annual prizes awarded to young British poets between the ages of 16 and 18, for poems submitted on a set theme. The prizes are administered by Christ Church, Oxford, and are funded by a bequest by the late Christopher Tower...
- Cholmondeley AwardCholmondeley AwardThe Cholmondeley Award is an annual award for poetry given by the Society of Authors in the United Kingdom. Awards honour distinguished poets, from a fund endowed by the late Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley in 1966...
- Costa Poetry AwardCosta Book AwardsThe Costa Book Awards are a series of literary awards given to books by authors based in Great Britain and Ireland. They were known as the Whitbread Book Awards until 2005, after which Costa Coffee, a subsidiary of Whitbread, took over sponsorship....
, formerly the Whitbread Poetry award - Eric Gregory AwardEric Gregory AwardThe Eric Gregory Award is given by the Society of Authors to British poets under 30 on submission. The awards are up to a sum value of £24000 annually....
- Forward Prize
- The Frogmore Poetry PrizeThe Frogmore Poetry PrizeThe Frogmore Poetry Prize is a prize awarded annually by Frogmore Press. It was first awarded in 1987. The prize money is currently two hundred guineas...
- Gaisford PrizeGaisford PrizeThe Gaisford Prize is a prize in the University of Oxford, founded in 1855 in memory of Dr Thomas Gaisford . For most of its history, the prize was awarded for Classical Greek Verse and Prose...
- Geoffrey Faber Memorial PrizeGeoffrey Faber Memorial PrizeThe Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize is a British literary prize established in 1963 in tribute to Geoffrey Faber, founder and first Chairman publisher Faber & Faber...
- Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and MedicineHippocrates Prize for Poetry and MedicineThe Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine was founded in 2009 by Donald Singer, a clinical professor, and poet and translator Michael Hulse...
(Open and NHSNational Health ServiceThe National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
-related awards) - MAG Poetry PrizeMAG Poetry PrizeThe MAG Poetry Prize is an open online poetry competition that is judged by the community of entrants. A minimum 1st prize of £2,000 is guaranteed. There is no fixed prize fund. The prize fund accumulates at the rate of £2 per entry . The MAG Poetry Prize supports Mines Advisory Group. It was...
- Manchester Poetry PrizeManchester Poetry PrizeThe Manchester Poetry Prize is a literary award celebrating excellence in creative writing. It was launched by Carol Ann Duffy and The Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2008, and was the first phase of the annual Manchester Writing Competition.Open internationally...
- Michael Marks Poetry AwardsMichael Marks Poetry AwardsThe Michael Marks Awards are annual awards for poetry instigated in 2009.The Michael Marks Poetry Pamphlet Award recognises a single outstanding work of poetry published in pamphlet form in the United Kingdom, including self-published works. The work should be not more than 36 pages...
- Newdigate prizeNewdigate prizeSir Roger Newdigate's Prize is awarded to students of the University of Oxford for Best Composition in English verse by an undergraduate who has been admitted to Oxford within the previous four years. It was founded by Sir Roger Newdigate, Bt in the 18th century...
- Queen's Gold Medal for PoetryQueen's Gold Medal for PoetryThe Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry is awarded for a book of verse published by someone in any of the Commonwealth realms. Originally the award was open only to British subjects living in the United Kingdom, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the rest of the Commonwealth realms...
- T. S. Eliot PrizeT. S. Eliot PrizeThe T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is awarded by the Poetry Book Society to "the best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland" in any particular year. The Prize was inaugurated in 1993 in celebration of the Poetry Book Society's 40th birthday and in...
United States
- Agha Shahid AliAgha Shahid AliAgha Shahid Ali was a Kashmiri American poet...
Poetry Prize — awarded annually in memory of this celebrated poet, sponsored by the University of UtahUniversity of UtahThe University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
Department of English and the University of Utah PressUniversity of Utah PressThe University of Utah Press is the independent publishing branch of the University of Utah and is a division of the J. Willard Marriott Library. Founded in 1949 by A. Ray Olpin, it is also the oldest university press in Utah...
. - Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry PrizeAgnes Lynch Starrett Poetry PrizeThe Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize is a major American literary award for a first full-length book of poetry in the English language.This prize of the University of Pittsburgh Press in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA was initiated by Ed Ochester and developed by Frederick A. Hetzel. The prize is...
— for a first book of poetry - Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American PoetryAiken Taylor Award for Modern American PoetryThe Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry is an annual prize, administered by the Sewanee Review and the University of the South, awarded to a writer who has had a substantial and distinguished career. It was established through a bequest by Dr. K.P.A...
— annual prize, administered by the Sewanee ReviewSewanee ReviewThe Sewanee Review is a literary journal established in 1892 and the oldest continuously published periodical of its kind in the United States. It incorporates original fiction and poetry, as well as essays, reviews, and literary criticism...
and the University of the South, awarded to a writer who has had a substantial and distinguished career - Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling ScholarshipAmy Lowell Poetry Travelling ScholarshipThe Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship is given annually to a U.S.-born poet to spend one year outside North America in a country the recipient feels will most advance his or her work....
— given annually to a U.S.-born poet to spend one year outside North America in a country the recipient feels will most advance his or her work - Autumn House PressAutumn House PressAutumn House Press is an independent, non-profit literary publishing company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette poetry feature, Bob Hoover writes that "Simms says he started the operation after he noticed that the 'large traditional commercial presses, had...
Poetry and Fiction Awards for full length book manuscripts - Beatrice Hawley AwardBeatrice Hawley AwardThe Beatrice Hawley Award is given annually by Alice James Books. The award includes publication of a book-length poetry manuscript and a cash prize ....
— for an unpublished poetry collection by a U.S. resident - Bernard F. Connors Prize for PoetryBernard F. Connors Prize for PoetryThe Bernard F. Conners Prize for Poetry is given by the Paris Review "for the finest poem over 200 lines published in The Paris Review in a given year", according to the magazine. The winner is awarded $1,000....
— Awarded by the editors of Paris ReviewParis ReviewThe Paris Review is a literary quarterly founded in 1953 by Harold L. Humes, Peter Matthiessen and George Plimpton. Plimpton edited the Review from its founding until his death in 2003. In its first five years, The Paris Review published works by Jack Kerouac, Philip Larkin, V. S...
for the best poem published in the magazine over the course of the year - The Best American Poetry series, a maximum of 75 poems published each year in the anthology series
- Bobbitt National Prize for PoetryBobbitt National Prize for PoetryThe Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry is awarded biennially by the Library of Congress on behalf of the nation in recognition for the most distinguished book of poetry written by an American and published during the preceding two years....
— Offered by the Library of Congress for the best book of poetry published by a living U.S. author during the preceding two years. - Bollingen PrizeBollingen PrizeThe Bollingen Prize for Poetry, which is currently awarded every two years by Beinecke Library of Yale University, is a literary honor bestowed on an American poet in recognition of the best book of new verse within the last two years, or for lifetime achievement.-Inception and controversy:The...
— offered by Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
every two years to one or more living U.S. poets for the best collection published in that period, or for lifetime achievement in poetry - Borestone Mountain Poetry AwardsBorestone Mountain Poetry AwardsThe Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards was an annual series of poetry anthologies first published in 1949. The poems were selected from those published in a given year in English-language magazines and books; in each volume, individual poems were designated as first, second, or third place in a...
— former series of annual anthologies (1948–1977) of poems selected as the best from each year's English-language magazines. - Brittingham Prize in PoetryBrittingham Prize in PoetryThe Brittingham Prize in Poetry is a major United States literary award for a book of poetry chosen from an open competition.The prize, established in 1985, is sponsored by the English Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is selected by a nationally recognized poet, The winner is...
- Chelsea Award for PoetryChelsea (magazine)Chelsea was a small American, twice-a-year literary magazine based in New York City. The influential journal, edited for many years by Sonia Raiziss, published poetry, prose, book reviews and translations with an emphasis on translations, art, and cross-cultural exchange.-History:In 1958, The...
— given by Chelsea magazine - Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition AwardsCrab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition AwardsThe Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition Awards are relatively large prizes given out each year to poets with unpublished manuscripts. In addition to the cash prizes, two winners get published by a university press....
offers $3,500 for the first prize and $2,000 for the second prize - Devins Award for PoetryDevins Award for PoetryThe Devins Award for Poetry is an American literary award for a book of poetry in the English language.This prize of the University of Missouri Press in Columbia, Missouri, USA was made possible with funding by Dr. and Mrs. A...
- Donald Justice Poetry PrizeDonald Justice Poetry PrizeThe Donald Justice Poetry Prize is a nationally-known prize sponsored by the Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards by the West Chester University Poetry Center. Given annually since 2006 to one American poet for an unpublished book-length manuscript of formal poetry, the award includes $1000 and an...
- sponsored by the Iris N. Spencer Poetry AwardsIris N. Spencer Poetry AwardsThe Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards are three awards administered by the West Chester University Poetry Center and are given annually during the West Chester University Poetry Conference "to recognize the important role of arts and letters in American life." The Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards were...
at the West Chester University Poetry CenterWest Chester University Poetry ConferenceWest Chester University Poetry Conference is an international poetry conference that has been held annually since 1995 at West Chester University, Pennsylvania, United States. It hosts various panel discussions and poetry craft workshops, which focus primarily on formal poetry, narrative poetry,...
. - Donna J. Stone National Literary Awards — Sponsored by the Matthew J. Pascal Foundation and American Mothers, Inc.
- Howard Nemerov Sonnet AwardHoward Nemerov Sonnet AwardThe Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award was established in 1994 by The Formalist, a poetry magazine founded by William Baer. The award honors the poet Howard Nemerov, who died in 1991. It is an open competition for sonnets in English that draws about 3000 entries annually. The award itself is $1000...
- Kate Tufts Discovery Award — awarded to a first time poet
- Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award — highly lucrative award for poet in mid career
- Lannan Literary Award for Poetry comes with $150,000
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry
- Maurice English Poetry Award — awarded for a volume of poetry published when a poet is more than 50 years old.
- National Book Award for PoetryNational Book Award for PoetryThe National Book Award for Poetry has been given since 1950 and is part of the National Book Awards, which are given annually for outstanding literary works by American citizens...
- National Book Critics Circle AwardNational Book Critics Circle AwardThe National Book Critics Circle Award is an annual award given by the National Book Critics Circle to promote the finest books and reviews published in English....
— given annually in poetry and in five other categories to promote the finest books and reviews published in English - National Poetry SeriesNational Poetry SeriesThe National Poetry Series is an American literary awards program.Every year since 1979 it has sponsored the publication of five books of poetry...
— offered by the National Poetry Series through five participating publishers for a collection of poetry - The New Criterion Poetry PrizeThe New CriterionThe New Criterion is a New York-based monthly literary magazine and journal of artistic and cultural criticism, edited by Hilton Kramer and Roger Kimball. It has sections for criticism of poetry, theater, art, music, the media, and books...
, given by The New Criterion magazine - O. B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry PrizeO. B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry PrizeThe O.B. Hardison, Jr., Poetry Prize was awarded by the Folger Shakespeare Library to honor a U.S. poet whose art and teaching demonstrated great imagination and daring...
— awarded by the Folger Shakespeare LibraryFolger Shakespeare LibraryThe Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It has the world's largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare, and is a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period...
to a U.S. poet who has published at least one book within the last five years, has made important contributions as a teacher, and is committed to furthering the understanding of poetry - PEN Award for Poetry in TranslationPEN Award for Poetry in TranslationThe PEN Award for Poetry in Translation honors a poetry translation published in the preceding year.The award is separate from the similar PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize.-Winners:-See also:*American poetry*List of poetry awards...
— honoring a poetry translation published in the preceding year - PEN/Voelcker Award for PoetryPEN/Voelcker Award for PoetryThe PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry is given biennially to an American poet whose distinguished and growing body of work to date represents a notable and accomplished presence in American literature.Awardees:...
— given biennially to an American poet whose distinguished and growing body of work to date represents a notable and accomplished presence in American literature - Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of CongressPoet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of CongressThe Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of...
- Poets' PrizePoets' PrizeThe Poets' Prize is awarded annually for the best book of verse published by a living American poet two years prior to the award year. The $3000 annual prize is donated by a committee of about 20 American poets, who each nominate two books and who also serve as judges...
— awarded annually for the best book of verse published by an American in the previous calendar year - Pulitzer Prize for PoetryPulitzer Prize for PoetryThe Pulitzer Prize in Poetry has been presented since 1922 for a distinguished volume of original verse by an American author. However, special citations for poetry were presented in 1918 and 1919.-Winners:...
- Rhysling Award — two given out each year (one for a long poem, the other for a short poem), by the Science Fiction Poetry AssociationScience Fiction Poetry AssociationThe Science Fiction Poetry Association was established in 1978 by Suzette Haden Elgin to bring together poets and readers interested in science fiction poetry. The organization administers the Rhysling Award and publishes the journal Star*Line, as well as providing market listings and industry news...
for the best science fiction, fantasy, or horror poems - Richard Wilbur AwardRichard Wilbur AwardThe Richard Wilbur Award is named in honor of the distinguished American poet Richard Wilbur and was established at the University of Evansville under the direction of William Baer. The competition welcomes submissions of unpublished, original poetry collections, and public domain or...
- Ruth Lilly Poetry PrizeRuth Lilly Poetry PrizeThe Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize is awarded annually by The Poetry Foundation; the Foundation also publishes Poetry. The Prize was established in 1986 by Ruth Lilly. The prize honors a living U.S. poet whose "lifetime accomplishments warrant extraordinary recognition"; its value is presently $100,000...
— offered by the Poetry FoundationPoetry FoundationThe Poetry Foundation is a Chicago-based American foundation created to promote poetry in the wider culture. It was formed from Poetry magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthropist Ruth Lilly....
for a U.S. poet "whose accomplishments warrant extraordinary recognition." - T. S. Eliot Prize for PoetryT. S. Eliot Prize (Truman State University)The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is awarded annually by Truman State University, which is a United States university located in Missouri. It is given "for the best unpublished book-length collection of poetry in English, in honor of native Missourian T. S. Eliot’s considerable intellectual and...
— publication prize awarded annually by Truman State UniversityTruman State UniversityTruman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...
for the best unpublished collection in English. A distinct prize with the same name is awarded in the United Kingdom. - Willis Barnstone Translation PrizeWillis Barnstone Translation PrizeThe Willis Barnstone Translation Prize is an annual award given to an exceptional translation of a poem from any language into English. The prize was inaugurated in 2002 by the University of Evansville under the direction of William Baer and has been presented annually since 2003. The award is...
— annual prize for an outstanding translation of a poem from any language into English. - Witter Bynner Fellowships — Administered by the Library of Congress, the fellowships are sponsored by the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry, an organization that provides grant support for poetry programs through nonprofit organizations. Fellows are chosen by the Poet Laureate, and are expected to participate in a poetry reading at the Library of Congress in October and to organize a poetry reading in their respective cities.
- Witter Bynner Poetry PrizeWitter Bynner Poetry PrizeThe Witter Bynner Poetry Prize was established by the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1980 to support the work of a young poet. It is named for poet Witter Bynner...
— established by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1980 to support the work of a young poet. - Yale Series of Younger Poets — offered by Yale University PressYale University PressYale University Press is a book publisher founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day. It became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but remains financially and operationally autonomous....
to a poet under the age of forty for a first volume of poetry
Awards given by the Academy of American PoetsAcademy of American PoetsThe Academy of American Poets is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art of poetry. The Academy was incorporated as a "membership corporation" in New York State in 1934...
- Wallace Stevens Award — $100,000 to recognize outstanding and proven mastery in the art of poetry
- Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets — $25,000 for distinguished poetic achievement
- Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize — $25,000 for the best book of poetry published in the previous year
- James Laughlin AwardJames Laughlin AwardThe James Laughlin Award, formerly the Lamont Poetry Prize, is given annually for a poet's second published book; it is the only major poetry award that honors a second book...
— $5,000 to recognize and support a poet's second book - Walt Whitman Award — First-book publication, $5,000, and a one-month residency at the Vermont Studio Center for an American who has not yet published a book of poetry
- Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Awards — $5,000 book prize and $20,000 fellowship to recognize outstanding translations into English of modern Italian poetry
- Harold Morton Landon Translation Award — $1,000 for a published translation of poetry from any language into English
Awards given by the Poetry Society of AmericaPoetry Society of AmericaThe Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
- Frost MedalFrost MedalThe Robert Frost Medal is an award of the Poetry Society of America for "distinguished lifetime service to American poetry." Medalists receive a prize purse of $2,500....
- Shelley Memorial AwardShelley Memorial AwardThe Shelley Memorial Award of more than $3,500, given out by the Poetry Society of America, was established by the will of the late Mary P. Sears, and named after the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The prize is given to a living American poet selected with reference to genius and need. The selection is...
— since 1929, offered by the society to a poet living in the United States who is chosen on the basis of "genius and need." - Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson AwardWriter Magazine/Emily Dickinson AwardThe Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award is given once a year to a member of the Poetry Society of America "to honor the memory and poetry of Emily Dickinson, for a poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style." The winner receives a $250 prize.-Winners:*2010: Marlene Rosen Fine,...
- Alice Fay di Castagnola Award
- Norma Farber First Book AwardNorma Farber First Book AwardThe Norma Farber First Book Award is given by the Poetry Society of America "for a first book of original poetry written by an American and published in either a hard or soft cover in a standard edition during the calendar year"....
- William Carlos Williams AwardWilliam Carlos Williams AwardThe William Carlos Williams Award is given out by the Poetry Society of America for a poetry book published by a small press, non-profit, or university press....
— offered by the society for the best book of poetry published by a small, non-profit, or university press
Awards given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters
- American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold MedalsAmerican Academy of Arts and Letters Gold MedalsTwo American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medals are awarded each year by the academy for distinguished achievement. The two awards are taken in rotation from these categories:*Belles Lettres and Criticism, and Painting;*Biography and Music;...
for Poetry — given every six years to honor the distinguished career of a poet; considered the highest honor of the American Academy of Arts and Letters - Arthur Rense PrizeArthur Rense PrizeThe Arthur Rense Prize was established in 1998 when Paige Rense started the award of $20,000 in memory of her husband, the sportswriter and poet Arthur Rense. The prize is given triennially to an exceptional poet by the American Academy of Arts and Letters....
— In 1998, the $20,000 award was established to honor "an exceptional poet" once every third year. - Michael Braude Award for Light VerseMichael Braude Award for Light VerseThe Michael Braude Award for Light Verse is a biennial award given for light verse in the English language, regardless of the author's nationality. It is presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is accompanied by a $5,000 payment. Mrs...
— The $5,000 biennial award is given "for light verse written in English regardless of the country of origin of the writer". - Witter Bynner Poetry PrizeWitter Bynner Poetry PrizeThe Witter Bynner Poetry Prize was established by the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1980 to support the work of a young poet. It is named for poet Witter Bynner...
— established by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1980 to support the work of a young poet.