Wigtown Poetry Prize

Scotland's International Poetry Prize was founded in 2005, and is regarded as one of the UK's best-established writing competitions and a launchpad for many writers' careers. Now refreshed and rebranded as the Wigtown Poetry Prize, entries are being accepted for our 2019 competition.

Entries are accepted from poets writing in English wherever they may live. Separate categories celebrate the best of Scottish Gaelic and Scots language poetry, a special category acknowledges a rising talent in Dumfries & Galloway, and a new pamphlet prize is named in memory of Alastair Reid - local poet and one of Scotland's foremost literary figures. The competition closes on 7 June 2019, with a prize-giving at Wigtown Book Festival in the autumn.

For more information on how to enter, please visit the new Wigtown Poetry Prize website.

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The 2018 Competition

Last year's competition received 735 entries. In addition to poets from Scotland and the wider UK, poets entered the competition from the USA, India, France, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark and Japan. Competing poets entered their work into one or more of our four categories.

With thanks to all our entrants, judges and sponsors.

We are delighted to announce the winners as follows below.