5 Poetry Contests to Keep on Your Radar
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April is a hot month for poetry contests. Here’s our breakdown of five big ones with approaching deadlines.
CBC Poetry Prize
The CBC Poetry Prize recently opened on April 1 and is closes May 31, 2021. The winner will receive $6,000, the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity, and will be published on CBC Books. Four finalists will also be selected and awarded $1,000 and published on CBC Books. Entry fee is $25.
Short Grain Contest
The Short Grain Contest’s deadline has been extended to April 15, 2021. The contest is open to poetry and fiction submissions. This year’s poetry judge is Phil Hall, and prizes include cash, publication, and a subscription to Grain. First prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500. Entry fee is $40 for each category and includes a subscription to the magazine.
Freefall Annual Prose and Poetry Contest
Freefall’s annual contest closes on April 30, 2021. This year’s judge is playwright and multigenre author, Natalie Meisner. First prize is $500, second prize is $250, third prize is $75, and an honourable mention will be made and awarded $25. Entry free is $25 and includes a one-year subscription.
CV2 2-Day Poem Contest
Do you like writing under pressure and constraints? Then CV2’s 2-day poem contest may be just for you. Opening on April 23, 2021, this annual contest asks that you write an original poem in 48 hours with the caveat that you must include ten words provided by the magazine, which will be available on their site. Prizes include cash, publication, and a one-year subscription to CV2. First prize is $500, second prize is $300 prize, and third prize is $150. Entry fee is $16 or $26, which includes one-year subscription.
Vallum Chapbook Award
If you have a chapbook project sitting around you’ve been meaning to finish, then Vallum’s chapbook contest may be just what you need to get you back to it. The contest is open to chapbook submissions between 12–20 pages, and the deadline is April 30, 2021. First prize is publication and $300. Entry fee is $25.
Prathna Lor
Prathna Lor, the poetry editor of Shrapnel, is a poet, essayist, and educator currently living in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal). Their writing has appeared in DIAGRAM, C Magazine, Jacket2, and Canadian Literature, among other places.