We’re launching a brand new poetry award to carry science and creativity nearer in combination. Too steadily, analysis can keep locked in instructional language – however poetry provides an impressive solution to make concepts felt, no longer simply understood. This prize is for UK-based researchers who wish to discover the weather disaster thru a special lens, mixing perception with creativeness to succeed in wider audiences and spark new conversations.
For this pageant – the primary of its sort for The Dialog – we’re inviting teachers to jot down a poem impressed through weather trade analysis.
The weather disaster may be a communications problem: how will we inform tales that transfer other folks, no longer simply to worry the long run, however to consider and construct a greater one? That query sits on the middle of our weather storytelling collection, and it’s what we wish you to imagine when writing your poem. The Dialog UK’s weather poetry award 2026 is all about bringing analysis to lifestyles differently.
Whether or not you’re an skilled poet or totally new to writing poetry, we wish to pay attention your standpoint on weather trade. Your poem can draw by yourself analysis, the paintings of others or your basic box of experience. Entrants to this pageant should be enrolled in a analysis place at a school in the United Kingdom. Poems should be minimal of 3 strains, most of 40 strains. No prior poetry enjoy is needed.
The contest will kick off with a loose introductory weather poetry workshop led through poet Professor Sam Illingworth of Edinburgh Napier College on Would possibly 13. Entries shut on September 1 2026 (11.59pm BST).
The poems will probably be reviewed through a panel of judges: Senior Setting Editor Anna Turns, Senior Arts and Tradition Editor Anna Walker and Professor Sam Illingworth. The winner will probably be decided on from a shortlist through award-winning poet Professor Helen Mort, of Manchester Metropolitan College. Judges will probably be searching for creativity, a standpoint and readability of analysis communique.
Who can input: UK-based teachers lately enrolled in a analysis place (together with PhD applicants, postdoctoral students and academics).
What to publish: A climate-themed poem (3–40 strains) and a supporting remark of as much as 250 phrases at the analysis that impressed it.
Access window: Open for entries now till September 1 2026 (11.59pm BST).
How to go into: By means of the legit submission shape.
Workshop: Unfastened on-line weather poetry workshop on Would possibly 13 2026
Prizes: First prize: five-day keep at The Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat (North Wales). Shortlisted poems printed in a The Dialog e-book anthology.
Judges: Anna Turns, Anna Walker, Professor Sam Illingworth
Ultimate winner decided on through: Professor Helen Mort
Wanting inspiration? Take a look at a few of our favorite weather poems.
The prizes
Shortlisted entries will probably be printed in an e-book through The Dialog UK within the autumn.
The winner will probably be hosted for 5 days on the Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat, within the non violent and wonderful nation-state of the Vale of Conwy in North Wales courtesy of The Ruppin Company. They’ll be welcomed and completely catered for through husband and spouse Dr Emma Claire Sweeney, creator and artistic writing lecturer, and Jonathan Ruppin, former literary agent and bookseller.
First prize is a 5 day keep at Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat.
The Ruppin Company
Whilst there, they’ll have get right of entry to to the 5,000-volume library, stuffed with puts to learn, write and loosen up, and housed in a 400-year-old transformed barn vaulted with the timbers of an historic send – in addition to house to jot down of their room if they like. In addition to socialising with a small crew of different writers, different actions akin to hill walks, wild swimming and a movie evening will probably be on be offering. See phrases and prerequisites for complete main points.
The judges
Sam Illingworth.
Sam Illingworth is a complete professor at Edinburgh Napier College, the place his analysis and practise contain the use of poetry and generative AI to discover connections between science and society.
“This competition is a great way of exploring the different ways in which scientists can communicate their work outside of traditional academic publishing,” says Illingworth. “Poetry is, in my opinion, an extremely effective way of developing empathy for a subject. I hope that in writing and reading poems about the climate crisis, researchers can better understand the impact that their work is having on different audiences.”
Helen Mort.
Helen Mort is a professor of inventive writing at Manchester Metropolitan College and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
She has printed 4 poetry collections with Chatto & Windus and her paintings has received awards in the United Kingdom and Canada.
In 2024, she wrote a poetry assortment referred to as Box Notes right through a analysis expedition to Greenland with weather scientists from Manchester Met College. Those poems explored the emotional and sensory results of the converting panorama they skilled whilst investigating weather trade.
Phrases & Stipulations 2026 – please learn in moderation.
Many due to our sponsor for this pageant, Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat.
