Calling all poets! The CBC Poetry Prize is now open

The winner will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and have their work published on CBC Books.

Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

You may submit an unpublished poem or collection of poems, up to 600 words in length.

There is no minimum word requirement. The entry fee is $25, which covers the costs of administering the prize.

Submissions are read by a panel of established writers and editors from across the country. The shortlist and winner will be decided by a jury comprised of three prominent Canadian writers.

Last year’s winner was Matthew Hollett for his poem Tickling the Scar.

Need a little motivation to get you going? Subscribe to the CBC Poetry Prize newsletter here. We will send you writing tips, tricks and prompts every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday while the CBC Poetry Prize is open. 

The CBC Literary Prizes have been recognizing Canadian writers since 1979. Past winners include Michael Ondaatje, Carol Shields, Michael Winter and Frances Itani.​

The 2022 CBC Short Story Prize will open in September. The 2022 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January.

Have questions? Check out our frequently asked questions or email us at [email protected].

Hollet wrote his award-winning poem Tickling the Scar while walking along the Lachine Canal in the early days of the pandemic. 2:21