After the End Project Poetry Competition

The ‘After the End’ research project, in collaboration with the National Poetry Centre, is inviting poets worldwide to submit original, previously unpublished work as part of the exciting research project exploring time, temporality, and the question of endings. This initiative aims to draw inspiration from poets far and wide, inviting contributions on the themes of the research project, bringing new perspectives to the questions posed, seeking to understand who decides when something has ended and how different experiences of endings shape lives, communities, and policies globally.

Poems should therefore engage with the concept of “after the end,” exploring the temporal, ethical, social, or emotional dimensions of endings. Submissions may draw on personal, historical, or global events, reflect on lived experiences, or experiment with form and perspective. There are no restrictions on style or genre but poems should be no more than 40 lines.

Open internationally to poets of all experience levels. The winners will be announced on 1st February 2026.

Prizes:

First £200

Second and Third £100

Judges:

Professor Patricia Kingori, Nick Barley, Professor Laura Salisbury, Professor Osman Sankoh, Salma Begum, Chris Hassan,  Nike Jonah and Khadijah Ibrahim