Entry Period: January 15, 2021 – March 15, 2021
The Statewide Poetry Contest is a celebration of poetry writing and literary artistry and invites participation from writers of all ages—elementary school and up. The contest aims to encourage, publicize, and reward the writing of high-quality poetry in Alaska.
Winners of the contest will receive monetary prizes as well as an invitation to share their poetry during a virtual event in April.
Divisions: Awards:
Adult 1st Place $150 | 2nd Place $100 | 3rd Place $50
High School 1st Place $100 | 2nd Place $50 | 3rd Place $25
Middle School 1st Place $50 | 2nd Place $30 | 3rd Place $15
Elementary School 1st Place $50 | 2nd Place $30 | 3rd Place $15
Entry Fee:
Adults – $4 per poem
Elementary, Middle, and High School – $3 per poem
Class Entries (minimum 10 poems) – $1 per poem
Instructions:
- Open to Alaska residents only
- Submission are limited to 4 poems per writer
- Poems must be original, unpublished work
- Poems must be typed and submitted as separate 8.5”x11” pdf documents
- May not exceed 100 lines in length (to exclude title and spaces)
- Include the poem’s title on the first line of the document
- Writer’s name must not appear on any poems
- File name for poems must include poem title and submitter’s division, i.e. “poemtitle_division.pdf” (examples: “bluevase_adult” or “pony_elementary”)
- Writer’s name must not appear on document title
Any poems not adhering to the above instructions will be disqualified. For questions, call 907.251.8386 ext. 3 or email literary@fairbanksarts.org.
Individual submissions: You can submit your poetry for any division (Adult, High School, Middle School, Elementary School) HERE!
Bulk student submissions: If you are an elementary, middle, or high school teacher wishing to make a bulk submission for student poetry (minimum of 10 poems), click here.
Judge: Emily Wall
Emily Wall is a Professor of English at the University of Alaska. She holds an M.F.A. in poetry and her poems have been published in journals across the US and Canada, most recently in Prairie Schooner and Alaska Quarterly Review. She has been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes and her most recent book, Flame, won the Minerva Rising chapbook prize. She has two books published with Salmon Poetry: Liveaboard and Freshly Rooted. Her next book, Breaking Into Air: Birth Poems is forthcoming from Red Hen Press. Emily lives and writes in Douglas, Alaska. She can be found online at www.emily-wall.com.
