Illinois Emerging Writers Competition: Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award

National Poetry Month

Celebrate the power of poetry and discover your voice with the 22nd annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition: Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award. Open to Illinois residents aged 18 and older, this statewide competition invites both seasoned writers and those who simply love to play with words to submit their original poetry.

Named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, the competition is co-sponsored by the Illinois State Library’s Illinois Center for the Book and Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte.

Writers from all backgrounds—including members of writing groups, MFA students, and independent creatives—are encouraged to participate. Past winners have gone on to achieve remarkable success, including winning national competitions, editing literary magazines, writing screenplays, and publishing books.

Submission Details:

• Open to Illinois residents (18+)
• Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2026
• Prizes:First Place: $500
• Second Place: $300
• Third Place: $100
• Winning poems may be considered for publication in Illinois journals and magazines
• Winners will be announced at the end of the year
• Submit your work and be part of a long-standing Illinois literary tradition.

Entry form:
https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/lda96.pdf

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