Forward Prizes for Poetry

This year, we welcome a new category to the Prizes: Best Single Poem – Performed. Renowned for championing new poetic voices and internationally celebrated writers alike, the Best Single Poem – Performed shortlist represents the diverse excellence of contemporary performed poetry and all its boundary-pushing innovations. Joelle Taylor, Chair for Best Single Poems panel, was joined by Khadijah Ibrahiim, Caroline Bird, Chris Redmond and Sue Roberts for shortlisting in this category.

‘The Forward Prize is the first major British literary award to include performed poetry within its categories, and I am honoured to have chaired the judging panel for both that and best single poem published in a journal. Between the two categories we have curated shortlists that exemplify all that is distinct, innovative, and alive in British poetry and poetic thought.’

– Joelle Taylor
Chair for the Best Single Poem Written and Performed categories