This is the Year: Poetry and Spoken Word Competition

Dystopia Now in collaboration with Theatre Peckham

Calling poets and spoken word artists aged 11-16 with a story to tell about Coronavirus and life in lockdown! Enter now to win a laptop!

Deadline: 18th December 2020

Location: www.utopianow.co.uk/poetry

‘This is the Year’ is a poetry and spoken word competition for young people aged 11-16 to share their experiences and stories about life during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus and lockdown have altered the world we live in. We’ve had to make changes – big and small – to our everyday lives. The pandemic has transformed how and where we learn, play and connect to the outside world and people we love.

At King’s College London, we want to know what life has been like for you and how you feel about it. We want to improve pandemic life for young people and to make recommendations to policymakers on what changes can be made to better support you and other young people during this time. 

​In order to do this, we need your help. 

‘This is the Year’ encourages you to use poetry to explore and express the moments, feeling, places and people that have influenced you during these unusual times.

You can enter a written poem or a spoken word audio or video performance. We don’t mind what you chose just so long as it is inspired by your life in the pandemic. 

​It is not necessary to have good spelling or perfect grammar to enter the competition. Entries will be judged on originality and creativity. There is a first prize (a laptop) and a second a prize for a highly commended entry (a voucher for Theatre Peckham).

Find out more at www.utopianow.co.uk/poetry