Next Journalism:
poetry

Deadline: 17 May 2011

Topic: Refugees and Human Rights

How to Submit a Poem: Download the Entry Form here PDF format

Eligibility: This contest is open to all aspiring poets who are students in Grades 4-12 and attending schools in the greater Toronto area. Poems will be written in English with a maximum of 24 lines. Awards will be given based on the following three grade categories for a total of three first prizes: Group I grades 4-5-6, Group II grades 7-8, Group III grades 9-10-11-12. Current employees or relatives of UNHCR Canada or COSTI Immigrant Services are not eligible to enter the contest.

Prizes: Three First Prizes of $200.00 each. Three Second and Third Prizes of $100.00 each.

Decisions: Judges will be members of the UNHCR Toronto Office, COSTI Immigrant Services, others to be announced. Entries will be judged on the basis of originality, creative imagination, characterization, artistic quality, adherence to the topic, and rules established for the contest. All decisions of the judges are final.

Fees: There are no entry fees, no subsidy payments, and no purchases of any kind required to enter and win the contest.

Rights: All poems remain the property of the artist. By submitting a poem for this contest, the artist grants permission to UNHCR Canada and COSTI Immigrant Services to publish the poem, profile contest participants, and use submitted materials in any manner related to refugee and human rights promotion, including for World Refugee Day. UNHCR Canada and COSTI Immigrant Services are under no obligation to publish any contest entries. The artist is under no obligation to purchase a copy of the publication in which the poem may appear.

Winners will be invited to an open ceremony for prize awards and photo/interview opportunity, children younger than 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult that can authorize and sign on their behalf.

Notification: All prize winners will be notified by mail and posted at www.costi.org

For further information, contact:
Mary Pam Vincer
vincer@costi.org
416.244.8989

Q. How does the contest work, and what prizes can I win?

A. UNHCR Canada and COSTI Immigrant Services are sponsoring the second annual greater Toronto area “Refugees and Human Rights Child and Youth Amateur Poetry Contest” to bring greater attention to human rights abuses and the plight of refugees. Each poem will be evaluated by our selection committee.

There are three school grade categories awarded a First Prize of $200 each. The categories are grades 4 to 6, grades 7 to 8 and grades 9 to 12. Each category will also be awarded a Second and Third Honourable Mention in the form of a plaque.

Q. What is the topic and how do I enter the contest by mail?

A. Please enter only one original poem, 24 lines or fewer, on the subject “Refugees and Human Rights”, in any style. The subject is very broad and you can choose to express your views on any aspect of “Refugees and Human Rights”.

Please mail or email your poem to the following address:

Poetry Contest
1710 Dufferin St.
Toronto, ON
M6E 3P2
Email: admin@costi.org

Contact Information:

For inquiries: admin@costi.org

For submissions: admin@costi.org

Website: http://www.costi.org/

Dates: 11 and 25 May 2011

The Night of the Poets is an exciting platform to revive live poetry and music performance in Gauteng. This fortnightly poetry session will showcase emerging and established poets in unspoken word poetry, fused with reggae sounds.

11 May
Dashiki Poetry of the 70's
Lefifi Tladi, Lawrence Moloisi
& Lenyatso Mathole, with Primrose Mrwebi (Cape Town)
Band: Dashiki Band

25 May
Africa Day
Phillipa Yaa de Villiers, with Manikongo (Zimbabwe)
Band: Zion Vibration

Via: computicket.com

Deadline: 30 June 2011

About the QuickFox 2011 Poetry Anthology

Why produce a poetry anthology, you may be asking? Well, for starters, we love poetry. We also realise how difficult it is getting an entire book of your own poetry published. Our solution to this problem is to produce an anthology featuring the best of everyone's work, which opens the book up to a broader market.

Submission guidelines

* All submissions must not be published previously in a book or anthology although they may have appeared in a journal or newsletter
* All submissions must be the entrant’s own original work
* Each poem must not be more than one page or 33 lines in length
* A maximum of 3 poems may be submitted by each entrant
* The entry must include a short author biography
* Closing date for all submissions is 30th June, 2011
* Entrants must be 18 years of age or older

How to enter

Download and complete the application form and email it back to us with up to three poems and your short author biography before the deadline. No late submissions will be considered. Submission of your entry form and poems implies acceptance of all the terms and conditions.

When will the Quickfox 2011 Poetry Anthology be published?

Our estimated date of publication is October 2011.

Where will the Anthology be available?

The Anthology will be available for sale from www.publisher.co.za, kalahari.net and selected bookstores nationwide. We are also considering releasing it in Kindle format via amazon.com.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM (PDF)

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM (WORD DOC)

TERMS & CONDITIONS

* Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published in a book or anthology, though they may have been previously published in a magazine / journal / periodical.
* Poems must be no more than 1 page or 30 lines in length.
* Poems may be simultaneously submitted to this and other competitions, or for consideration in a magazine or journal, but not for consideration for a book or anthology.
* Each entrant may submit up to 3 poems only.
* All entries must be in English.
* Regretfully faxed submissions will not be accepted for consideration.
* Entrants must be contactable at the email address they provide at the time of judging. Winners who do not respond to email contact will still be pronounced winners but will forfeit their prize if they do not claim it within 30 days of the results being published on the website.
* Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, however Quickfox Publishing reserves the right to publish all submissions in the Quickfox 2011 Poetry Anthology (working title of the Anthology, herewith referred to as The Anthology) in all formats of The Anthology, be it printed, electronic or audio format. We also reserve the right to reprint the published poems in all marketing material used to promote the anthology, as well as on the www.quickfox.co.za website.
* Should their poems be published, entrants will have no entitlement to royalties or any other forms of remuneration, from the sale of The Anthology or any reprints of The Anthology. The only cash remuneration will be in the form of three prizes which will be awarded to the chosen winners.
* The judges' decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into.
* Prize winners will be notified by email once judging is complete. Judging will begin when the competition closes and may last several months. The list of prize-winners will be displayed on the website.
* All deadlines, including the closing date, date of announcement, etc., may be postponed by QuickFox Publishing without notice or consultation.
* Entry implies acceptance of all the terms and conditions.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: info@quickfox.co.za

For submissions: info@quickfox.co.za

Website: http://www.quickfox.co.za

Deadline: 29 April 2011

Arojah Concepts, an Abuja based edutainment outfit in collaboration with SOMETIN FO EVRIBODI has concluded plans to publish an Antoloji of Naija Puems (Poems in Nigerian Pidgin) and thereby wishes to invite interested Nigerians to send in their entries.

The anthology which will be released in the third quarter of the year is part of efforts by the organizers, in collaboration with the Naija Langwej Akademi and the Institute Francaise de Recherche en Afrique au.

Nigeria (IFRA Nigeria) to promote writings in Naija Langwej (aka Nigerian Pidgin) which is growing steadily across the country. Interested Nigerians/Poets are expected to send in their entries in accordance with the following guidelines:

- Between 3 – 5 poems written purely in Naija langwej (pidgin English).
- Each of the five poems must not be more than 2 typed pages
- Typed with font size 14 (point) Garamond
- Must be original and never published
- Poets/poems are free to explore any theme/subject of their choice.
- Poems are free to offer an appraisal of the relationship and cultures of Nigeria and other cultures.
- Entries should include contact details of Poets.
- Allentries in MS word should be mailed to arojahconcepts@yahoo.com or edbabor@gmail.com
- All entries must be received on or before Friday 29th of April 2011

* Ten poems will be selected from all the entries received and the Poets will receive various categories of prizes in appreciation of their creativity.

Via: bookaholic.blogspot.com

Contact Information:

For inquiries: call 0803 453 0786, 0808 090 0813

For submissions: arojahconcepts@yahoo.com or edbabor@gmail.com

Website: http://arojahconcepts.wordpress.com

Deadline: 15 June 2011

Rose Lemberg is currently editing "The Moment of Change," a feminist speculative poetry anthology for Aqueduct press.

This anthology will bring feminist questions to the foreground, while featuring queer poets, poets of color, and international poets as much as possible. This will be the first feminist anthology within the history of speculative poetry.

To this end, the editor would like to solicit reprint submissions at the editorial address, feministspec at gmail dot com. Submissions are not limited by gender and sexuality, age, race and ethnicity, disability, immigration status, etc - everyone is welcome. Please send your previously published poems that you think are feminist (maximum 5 poems per submission, please). Date of original publication does not matter, but please supply the previous publication details for each poem.

The following are considered: fantasy, science fiction, magic realism, surrealism, weird, and slipstream.

If you have ideas for poems by others that can fit the anthology, please let the editor know at the editorial address (feministspec at gmail dot com).

Rights: We ask for non-exclusive one-time reprint rights, non-exclusive promotional rights, and non-exclusive ebook reprint rights. These rights should be available when you send me your submissions (i.e. if the poem is under exclusivity period somewhere, that would be problematic).

Payment: one copy per contributor.

Submissions are open now, and will remain open until June 15th, 2011. I will respond to all submissions by July 15th, 2011.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: feministspec at gmail dot com

For submissions: feministspec at gmail dot com

Website: http://www.aqueductpress.com/

Deadline: 23 April 2011

What? Poets and Writers Online (POWO) is a forum for Poets and Writers with blogs and those with an interest in using the internet in promotion of, or as a platform for their writing.

When? First meet-up will be on 23rd April, 2011 ( 11.30am – 2pm)

Where? The IHub located on 4th flr of Bishop Magua Building along Ngong Road (opposite Uchumi Ngong Rd.)

Who should attend? Poets, Creative Writers, anyone with an interest in writing

Guest Speakers

Joseph Mucheru – Google East & Central Africa Lead

Njoroge Matathia ( Potash) – Kenya Urban Narrative

Wamathai – Poet, Blogger & Organiser of Wamathai Poetry Event.

Poetry performance by

Muki Garang – Poet, activist, Hip Hop Artist, Techie

Logon to http://powo.eventbrite.com/ to sign up for this FREE event.

Via: kenyanpoet.blogspot.com

Contact Information:

For inquiries: PoetsNWriters@gmail.com

Website: for tickets - http://powo.eventbrite.com/

The Writers Project of Ghana is pleased to announce that their first anthology of poetry by new Ghanaian writers is off the press and will be available in bookstores soon.

“Look Where You Have Gone to Sit” features the work of nineteen new writers, and presents exciting writing across many different themes.

“Look Where You Have Gone to Sit” was edited by Martin Egblewogbe and Laban Carrick Hill, and published by Woeli Publishing Services in Accra.

Writers Project of Ghana intends to continue their efforts to put out more anthologies of Ghanaian writing. Later this year, they will launch their call for their next anthologies for 2011, which will be released in 2012. They expect to publish an anthology of poetry and another of short stories.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: martin@writersproject.com

Website: http://writersprojectghana.com

Bantu Letters, Mpumalanga’s very first indigenous language anthology is brought to you by Ten Workers Media under the direction of Goodenough Mashego. Bantu Letters is a collection of poetry/ written by bantus in Sepulana, isiNdebele and isiSwati languages spoken in the province of Mpumalanga.

The book was launched on April 2 at the Kriel Rugby Fields. For more information, contact goodynuff@thepub.co.za

Deadline: 30 April 2011

Islamic Writers' Alliance 7th Annual Islamic Poetry Contest - 2011

We are pleased to announce the approachment of the 7th Annual Poetry Contest, sponsored by the IWA.

Announcing Islamic Writers Alliance 7th Annual Islamic Poetry Contest - April 1-30, 2011. Submissions may begin on April 1, 2011 and will continue to 11:59 on April 30, 2011 EST. The theme for this year is open and contest guidelines can be viewed here.

All poetry for Islamic Writers Alliance Annual Poetry contests must conform to the general guidelines. Poems that do not adhere to these standards will be automatically disqualified from the competition.

Poetry Submission Guidelines

All poetry for Islamic Writers Alliance Annual Poetry contests must conform to the following general guidelines. Poems that do not adhere to these standards will be automatically disqualified from the competition.

· Poetry must be Islamic in theme in nature
· Poetry must be from at least 2 but no more than 100 lines
· Poetry may be of any ‘type’ of poetry including but not limited to ballad, couplet, iambic pentameter, quatrain, cinquain, sonnet, haiku, epic, free verse, and even light verse, limerick and spoken word
· Poetry contest has 3 categories of submission
o IWA Members –
o Adults – authors 18 and over who are not members of IWA
o Youth – authors under the age of 18 who are not members of IWA
· Maximum of 1 submission per individual
· Entries that have won previously cannot be resubmitted
· Poems will only be accepted as plain text (ASCII) format in the body of email, as an attachment in Microsoft Word or as an PDF.
· Poems must be submitted via email
· Poems must be submitted to poetrycontest@islamicwritersalliance.net
· Poems must include authors name, category, email address, mailing address and phone number and title of poem
· Poems that are submitted by youth under the age of 18 must also include a statement from a parent or legal guardian authorizing the IWA’s public use of poem on the website
· Teachers may submit ‘class’ poetry only as individual submissions from one school with parental permission
· Poems are the legal property of the author
· IWA retains the right to disqualify and reject submissions deemed inappropriate

Deadline: 15 May 2011

During her “second funeral” in July 1965, friends of the young and beloved poet Ingrid Jonker decided to honour her memory with a prize for debut poets. Writers and friends contributed money, and a publisher and writers donated all income from the books In Memoriam, Ingrid Jonker and Die Sestigers. Thus was the Ingrid Jonker prize instituted.

In order to be considered for this prestigious prize, please send three copies of any debut volume of poetry that appeared in print during 2009 or 2010, and which adheres to the rules below, to the following address:

Ingrid Jonker Prize committee
Posbus 657
STELLENBOSCH
7599

The closing date for submissions is 15 May 2011.

Rules and regulations

1. The prize is awarded alternately for a debut volume of poetry in English and a debut volume of poetry in Afrikaans, the two languages in which Ingrid Jonker wrote. The prize can only be awarded to a volume with an ISBN published within the two years before the year of adjudication. In other words, only debuts published in 2009 and 2010 will be eligible for the 2011 Ingrid Jonker prize for Afrikaans Poetry.
2. No joint awards of the prize will be made and a poet can only be eligible for the award once.
3. Only first volumes of poetry published by a South African publisher will be considered.
4. Only poets who have South African citizenship, or poets who are based in South Africa and have either permanent residency or refugee status, will be eligible for the Ingrid Jonker prize.
5. A poet who has already published a volume of poetry in Afrikaans may not then submit a collection in English, and vice versa. Translations will not be eligible for the prize either. If, however, a writer has already published in other genres (prose or drama), and then publishes a first English or Afrikaans volume of poetry, he/she will be eligible for the Ingrid Jonker prize.
6. A volume that contains poems/texts in English and Afrikaans may be submitted. However, in such a case the publisher will have to decide whether the book is submitted for the English or Afrikaans award - a volume of poetry may be submitted once only.
7. A bilingual committee of five members (consisting of published poets writing in English and Afrikaans) meets whenever necessary. At least two of the five members should be English and two Afrikaans.
8. If a member of the committee resigns, the committee appoints another member. All the members of the committee have to be published poets.
9. The committee appoints three judges. All the judges have to be published poets as well - the Ingrid Jonker prize is an award made by poets to poets.
10. All submissions for the prize are given gratis by the relevant publishers. Three copies of each book must be submitted.
11. The adjudication takes place as early as possible after all the submissions have been received.
12. Each judge selects the three best volumes. Five points are awarded to the first choice, 3 points to the second choice and 1 point to the third choice.
13. Every judge must submit a brief report on the volume he or she selected as a winner.
14. The debut with the greatest number of points is declared the winner.
15. Up until the stage where the judges submit their points, the adjudication is done confidentially and individually. The judges are not allowed to have any discussions before their points have been awarded.
16. In the unlikely event of a tie, the judges will be asked to vote between the two tied works.
17. If the works are not considered of high enough standard by the majority of judges (i.e. at least by two of the three), the prize will not be awarded.
18. If only one book is submitted, three judges will still be appointed. If the majority of judges decide the volume is of sufficient merit, the prize will be awarded.
19. The prize consists of a medal by the sculptor Bill Davis and the interest on the investment. The invested amount may be increased through donations at any time, but the prize should maintain its independent status. Sponsorships from institutions wishing to pursue commercial interests with their sponsorship are therefore not desirable.
20. The prize will be awarded at an appropriate public function.

Date: 25 March 2011

The 8th edition of the popular BookJam@Silverbird Abuja holds on Friday 25th March 2011 at the Silverbird Entertainment Centre, by 6pm. This edition will feature Lagos-based poet and advertising practitioner, Chike Ofili; Abuja-based poet and journalist Diego Okenyodo; playwright and communications lecturer, Godswill Okiyi; and novelist and banker, Stanley Osuji.

Ofili, former chair of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Lagos chapter, is the author of the poetry volume, The Weight of Waiting, which was enlisted for the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in 2010; Okenyodo’s From a Poem to Its Creator made the shortlist for the The Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2009; Okiyi’s play, Who’s Afraid of Adams, was recently released; and Osuji’s riveting 3-in-one story collection, Positive, was also recently released.

The BookJam@Silverbird Abuja is a collaboration of the Abuja Literary Society and Silverbird. It is anchored by co-host of the Abuja Poetry Slam, Jide Attah, and consists of book readings, book signings, raffle draw and a discussion by the guest writers. In addition, there will be special Slam poetry performance by some of Abuja’s finest Slam champions. The February edition featured poet and novelist, Lola Shoneyin; Actor, poet and playwright, Femi Branch; poet and corporate communications practitioner, Kufre Ekanem. Abuja BookJam holds on the last Friday of every month, at 6pm.