The 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry Ceremony
Discover some of the best poetry coming out of the UK and Ireland, and be here as the winners of the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry are announced live on stage.
The Forward Prizes are an unmissable fixture in the literature calendar – a celebration for all who want to discover the best contemporary poetry.
Twenty poets are invited to take the mic and perform their work, delivering an incomparable mixtape of poetry. This one-night event showcases the breadth and richness of poets publishing and performing in the UK and Ireland today.
The shortlisted line-up is curated by a judging panel chaired by award-winning novelist and short story writer Sarah Hall and critically acclaimed poets Hannah Lavery, Lisa Kelly, Sean O’Brien and Rommi Smith.
The Forward Prizes recognise achievement in four categories:
- Best Collection
- The Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection
- Best Single Poem – Written
- Best Single Poem – Performed
This year’s judges read more than 214 poetry collections and watched or read 340 single poems to find the most exciting poetry published this year in the British Isles.
Need to know
This event is also available to watch online.
Reviews
‘The works in contention address the world head-on.’
The Guardian
‘The most coveted awards in British poetry.’
Daily Telegraph
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
24 Oct 2026, 7.30pm
Run time
2 hours and 30 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £14
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
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Accessible events
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For your visit
This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
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We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
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