We’re launching a brand new poetry award to deliver science and creativity nearer in combination. Too frequently, analysis can keep locked in educational language – however poetry provides a formidable solution to make concepts felt, no longer simply understood. This prize is for UK and Eire-based researchers who wish to discover the weather disaster thru a distinct lens, mixing perception with creativeness to succeed in wider audiences and spark new conversations.
For this festival – the primary of its sort for The Dialog – we’re inviting lecturers to put in writing a poem impressed by way of weather trade analysis.
The weather disaster could also be a communications problem: how can we inform tales that transfer other folks, no longer simply to concern the long run, however to consider and construct a greater one? That query sits on the center of our weather storytelling collection, and it’s what we would like you to imagine when writing your poem. The Dialog UK’s weather poetry award 2026 is all about bringing analysis to existence differently.
Whether or not you’re an skilled poet or totally new to writing poetry, we wish to listen your point of view on weather trade. Your poem can draw by yourself analysis, the paintings of others or your normal box of experience. Entrants to this festival will have to be enrolled in a analysis place at a school in the United Kingdom or Eire. Poems will have to be minimal of 3 strains, most of 40 strains. No prior poetry enjoy is needed.
The contest will kick off with a unfastened introductory weather poetry workshop led by way of poet Professor Sam Illingworth of Edinburgh Napier College on Might 13. Entries shut on September 1 2026 (11.59pm BST).
The poems will probably be reviewed by way of 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 by way of award-winning poet Professor Helen Mort, of Manchester Metropolitan College. Judges will probably be in search of creativity, a standpoint and readability of study conversation.
Who can input: UK and Eire-based lecturers these days enrolled in a analysis place (together with PhD applicants, postdoctoral students and teachers).
What to publish: A climate-themed poem (3–40 strains) and a supporting observation 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 way of the professional submission shape.
Workshop: Unfastened on-line weather poetry workshop on Might 13 2026
Prizes: First prize: five-day keep at The Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat (North Wales). Shortlisted poems revealed in a The Dialog guide anthology.
Judges: Anna Turns, Anna Walker, Professor Sam Illingworth
Ultimate winner decided on by way of: Professor Helen Mort
Wanting inspiration? Take a look at a few of our favorite weather poems.
The prizes
Shortlisted entries will probably be revealed in an guide by way of 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 entirely catered for by way of husband and spouse Dr Emma Claire Sweeney, creator and inventive 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 are going to have get entry to to the 5,000-volume library, stuffed with puts to learn, write and calm down, and housed in a 400-year-old transformed barn vaulted with the timbers of an historic send – in addition to area to put in writing of their room if they like. In addition to socialising with a small workforce of different writers, different actions corresponding to hill walks, wild swimming and a movie evening will probably be on be offering. See phrases and stipulations 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 ingenious writing at Manchester Metropolitan College and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
She has revealed 4 poetry collections with Chatto & Windus and her paintings has gained awards in the United Kingdom and Canada.
In 2024, she wrote a poetry assortment known 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 festival, Little Goat Barn Writing Retreat.
