The University of Hertfordshire’s Poetry Hub has launched its 2019 Single Poem Prize following the success of the inaugural award last year.

The winning poem will receive £500, with £100 and £50 awarded to second and third placed respectively.

Chaired by Wayne Holloway-Smith, the 2018 winner of the prestigious National Poetry Award, and judged by Poetry Hub fellows Rachel Long and Mark Waldron, the prize is open to anyone living in the UK and can be on any subject and written in any style or form.

Wayne Holloway-Smith, Lecturer in Creative Writing, University of Hertfordshire, said: “We launched the Single Poem Prize as a free entry competition in the interests of fairness and inclusivity. Creative writing prizes often seem to represent a certain portion of the writing public, a portion who have the expendable income to enter awards. This has traditionally meant that the voices of low-income writers continue to go unheard. We hope that this competition uncovers new talent and fresh voices in poetry.”

The Single Poem Prize is now open for entries and closes on Thursday, August 1. Visit www.herts.ac.uk for the rules of entry.