Winners Announced

OVER 18s

Winner 
Ros Woolner

Runners Up
Bridget Fraser
Jane Shave

Shortlisted 
Dess Coleman
John Harvey
Mary Mullett
Elizabeth Rodda
Cecilia Rose

UNDER 18s

Winners 
MJ Fraser, age 17 
Khushi Manek, age 17

Runners Up
Jasmin Beghal, age 16
Lana Dissanayake, age 16

Shortlisted
Charmaine Chan, age 17

Under 16s

Winner 
Laila Malik O'Rourke, age 14

Runners Up
Emaan Dhakwala, age 14
Amelia Chiarelli, age 15

Shortlisted 
Skye Forster, age 13
Zion Jesubamikole, age 15
Aishni Mishra, age 12
Luci Moncayo, age 14
Lyra Thornton, age 12

UNDER 12s

Winners
Lily Brown, age 8
Poppy Lincoln, age 10

Runner Up
Siri Vijapur, age 10

Shortlisted
Zachary Ayres, age 9
Tashvi Ganeshwade, age 10
Austin Lawrence, age 10
Amaya Sheehan, age 10

Shortlisted and winning poems will be published in the 2023 Chiltern Arts Poetry Collection and winning entries will appear in the 2023 Festival.

Thank you for entering the 2023 competition! We will be in touch with shortlisted and winning entries soon. If you have any questions, please email us at poems@chilternarts.com

Competition Theme: How things change over time

The Chiltern Arts Festival 2023 explores the themes of Love, Loss and the Passage of Time. 

We're inviting writers of all ages to explore the concept of how things change over time. This could be the life cycle of a flower, a journey of friendship or love, the migration of birds or butterflies, preparing for or experiencing a big life change, or a landscape changing over many years... be creative, and see where your imagination takes you!  

The competition is now closed. Many thanks to all who entered!
  • All poems must relate to the concept of changing over time
  • Poems must fit onto a single side of A4
  • Poems may be in any form
  • One entry per person
  • Poems must be the original work of the entrant
  • Poems must be unpublished
  • All entries must include writer's name and age if under 18
  • All entries must include a contact email or phone number

We are delighted that Susan Cooper, author of the acclaimed series The Dark is Rising, will be joining Creative Director Naomi Taylor on the panel for the 2023 Poetry Competition.