The Walter Swan Poetry Prize

A project of Ilkley Literature Festival (see other related projects).

This project is on indefinite hiatus. Check their site to find out whether this is a submission and/or publication hiatus. (June 2023)

About

The Walter Swan Poetry Prize is a competition for writers of poetry aged 18 and over. The prize is run by Ilkley Literature Festival in partnership with The Walter Swan Trust. Now in its fifth year, the prize was established in memory of writer Walter Swan. In previous years, prize winners have been praised for their unique voices, precise use of language, powers of observation and use of fresh imagery, and qualities such as lyricism and musicality.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions.

Country of Publication

United Kingdom

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Awarded 1 x per year

Poetry On Hiatus

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: Up to 30 lines.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than prize specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

Method: Postal.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Go to contest webpage

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The Walter Swan Poetry Prize Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

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ILF Short Story Competition ON HIATUS

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026