Winchester Poetry

We are a hub for poetry locally, nationally and internationally - from Winchester to the world.
Winchester Poetry Festival events throughout 2026

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

💎 Winchester Poetry Prize 2026 is open💎

Judge: @JuliaCopus
Prizes: £1k, £500, £250
Kathryn Bevis Prize for best poem from #Hampshire
Closes: 31/07/26

Read the rules and enter: https://t.co/DNZubXtn8y

🤝 @ParisSmithLLP @Writing5chool

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

🤗 It’s @VolunteersWeek and we want to say thank you to our brilliant volunteers. Winchester Poetry Festival simply would not happen without them!

In a world of AI, the human touch is more important than ever.

It truly is the *people* that make our festival, so very special.

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

📣 #HampshirePoet June blog is here!

✊🏾 It explores Black Poetry + is written by #performancepoet + #Southampton-based storyteller Pab Low

Pab says: "... black poetry, quite rightly does, has and will always, categorically refuse, to be categorised."

👀 https://t.co/ZNCYzGfRzE

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

A poetry event, just announced, for 18+ in #Southampton courtesy of @wirewoolevents

[wire wool @wirewoolevents]

👋 OH HI! 👋

Placeholder Poetry #8: @amykgrandvoinet, Abbi Mitchell, Emma Tanner

📌Bookshop Alehouse #Southampton
🗓️Thurs 23 July

A banging line-up of magical poets!

Toiletries donation point for Basics Bank
Raffle proceeds to Yellow Door

🎟️ https://t.co/PiVWylhbkt

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Our friends at @BHwritinglegacy have lots coming up this month - do take a look!

[Writing Our Legacy | Covert 5 is out! @BHwritinglegacy]

We welcome June with a great series of #creative #workshops! Come join us!

💧2x Downs to the Sea workshops. #Free entry. Open to all.

✏️A @brightbookfest workshop with @SeaThePoet & a WOL Creative's Network Member Meetup afterwards!

Book your tickets: https://t.co/RpBmZyLw9N

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

We love @WinchesterHods and will be celebrating the @heritageopenday theme this year with...

📝Everyday Histories: poetry wordshop + sharing session with #HampshirePoet
📌Pilgrims’ Hall @PilgrimsSchool
📆 Sat 19 Sept | 10:30am-12pm

🎟️https://t.co/cIm5Utf7NZ

All welcome!

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Just 2️⃣ months until Winchester Poetry Prize closes!

📧 📮We accept entries by email AND post, and all eligible entries will be read by our superstar judge @JuliaCopus

Learn more, and get writing: https://t.co/eT3R547hAV

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

@flowerspoetics Good luck with your poems! 🍀

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

In case you missed it 👀

[That's TV Hampshire @ThatsHampshire]

Last year we had over 2,000 entries from 34 countries."

Winchester Poetry Festival is encouraging people to enter poems for the Winchester Poetry Prize.

Additional to the top prize of £1,000 winning poems will be published for posterity.

Entries close Friday 31st July.

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Open globally, and accepting poems for the next 10 weeks.

Learn more: https://t.co/DNZubXsPj0

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

💎 Winchester Poetry Prize 2026 is open💎

Judge: @JuliaCopus
Prizes: £1k, £500, £250
Kathryn Bevis Prize for best poem from #Hampshire
Closes: 31/07/26

Read the rules and enter: https://t.co/DNZubXtn8y

🤝 @ParisSmithLLP @Writing5chool

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Our competition for young poets in #Hampshire closes 8pm today!

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

🎂🥢Hampshire Young Poets' competition is open until 22 May!

#HampshirePoet Damian has provided these prompts to help youngsters cook up their foodie poems!

🫵https://t.co/4lWqHGPFTz

Thank you @Bookwells @ParisSmithLLP #HelloWinchester

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

2️⃣ poetry competitions open for you!

Hampshire Young Poets closes FRIDAY!
Entries accepted online or @Bookwells
Details: https://t.co/4lWqHGPFTz

👩🏾‍💻Winchester Poetry Prize 2026 is open, and @JuliaCopus is waiting for your poems!
Email + postal accepted: https://t.co/DNZubXsPj0

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Winchester Poetry Prize is *open* until 31st July!
Thank you @ThatsHampshire for this piece.

[That's TV Hampshire @ThatsHampshire]

Last year we had over 2,000 entries from 34 countries."

Winchester Poetry Festival is encouraging people to enter poems for the Winchester Poetry Prize.

Additional to the top prize of £1,000 winning poems will be published for posterity.

Entries close Friday 31st July.

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

@ThatsHampshire Thanks so much for sharing the news about Winchester Poetry Prize!

@ParisSmithLLP @Writing5chool @JuliaCopus @JaneVBryant #HelloWinchester @WinchesterBID

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

If you contributed to the Community Poem Bunting at this year's @BmthWritingFest - it's up!

It's hanging in the atrium at Bournemouth Library for all to enjoy - do take a look.

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Writing Worlds, the 2026 NAWE Online Conference, is open for proposals for presentations and workshops in 3 categories!

🟢Research + innovation
🟢Projects + participation
🟢Professional + personal development.

Info + deadlines: https://t.co/xOyL2NSIPI

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Thank you @hantschronicle for sharing the details of our competition to inspire young people to write poetry!

https://t.co/glJSZPRhkw

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

@JaneVBryant @Bookwells Thanks so much for the photos!
#HelloWinchester

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

Still some time to enter Hampshire Young Poets competition 2026!
You can do so via the link below, OR in person at @bookwells charming Poetry Desk!

https://t.co/biVAZvKoRo

[Jane Bryant FRSA @JaneVBryant]

Lovely to see @Bookwells Poetry Desk with its drawers of ideas to inspire children and young people to send in their poems about food! Just a few weeks left to enter Hants Young Poets comp @WinPoetryFest and @ Hants Cult Trust.

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

📚Here's Damian Kelly-Basher's blog for May!

After 2yrs as #HampshirePoet, Damian reflects on ways to keep developing yourself as a poet:
"it’s easy to get hung up about your development or status as a poet. So, remember to keep enjoying what you do"

https://t.co/ZNCYzGfRzE

[Winchester Poetry @WinPoetryFest]

📺 #HampshirePoet Damian interviewed on @ThatsHampshire !

[That's TV Hampshire @ThatsHampshire]

"I guess I got the bug."

The Hampshire Poet Laureate has shared a poem he wrote for his friend's daughter aged 10, ahead of Winchester Poetry Day.

The poetry day takes place on Saturday the 10th of October organised by Winchester Poetry Festival.