Poets deserve more than empty prestige. They deserve real recognition, real opportunities, and real support. That is why I am launching The Broken Spine Poetry Award – a prize that is free to enter, financially rewarding, and dedicated to elevating the voices that deserve to be heard.
But I cannot do this alone. I need your help.
Too many poetry competitions feel like a gamble. Steep entry fees, vague promises, and little reward for the poets who fuel them. It is time for something better.
The Broken Spine Poetry Award will:
This is not just another poetry contest. It is a movement.
To make this a reality, I need to raise £5,000 by the end of 2025 to launch the award in 2026. Every pound goes directly to the poets and the platform that will support them.
Once we hit the funding goal, submissions will open with zero entry fees.
If you believe poetry competitions should exist to uplift poets rather than exploit them, here is how you can help:
Support the award here: https://ko-fi.com/brokenspinearts/goal?g=0
Great poetry deserves more than empty praise. It deserves real opportunity. Let’s build an award that puts poets first.
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The Broken Spine is a poetry and arts collective proudly published on the coastal edge of North-West England. Founded in 2019 by Alan Parry and Paul Robert Mullen – two school friends reunited after twenty years through a mutual love of poetry.
