Verse yourself: Submissions open for 2026 Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize

Poets across Australia are invited to put pen to paper and make their words count, with submissions now open for the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) 2026 Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize.

Celebrating the enduring power of poetry in an ever-changing world, the Prize is one of the richest accolades in Australian poetry, honouring the legacy of acclaimed contemporary poet Bruce Dawe AO.

Established 27 years ago after his long tenure as a lecturer at UniSQ, the Prize continues to champion Bruce Dawe’s belief that poetry should be accessible to all by offering a national platform for voices at every stage of their writing journey.

As submissions open for 2026, we spoke with the Chair of the Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize, Professor Laurie Johnson, about why poetry matters, what makes this competition unique, and what he’s hoping to discover in this year’s entries.

Why does the Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize matter right now for Australian writers and readers?

This Prize matters for the same reason that poetry matters (or should matter) in Australia. Poetry is the literary form best suited to providing a circuit breaker to the commercialised noise and political propaganda bombarding us through our screens in the current media climate. The poet shows us not what to think but how to think, and this food for thought is never more needed in Australia than in the present moment.

What makes this Prize unique in the national poetry landscape?

The Prize is the only major poetry competition currently offered by a university in Australia, where the prize is adjudicated on the merit of a single poem. Through this competition, UniSQ is committed to ensuring that opportunity is available to all Australian poets at any stage of their career, without political influence or geographical limitation.

How does the Prize honour the legacy of Bruce Dawe AO?

Bruce Dawe AO established the Prize to encourage everybody from any walk of life to take up writing, and for all writers to take up poetry – a principle that still operates in the administration of the competition here at UniSQ. He also taught at UniSQ for more than two decades and saw the Prize as a way to continue his commitment to teaching the value of different literary forms as voices of reason during times of change or upheaval.

Why should emerging and established poets consider entering this year?

The Prize is open to everyone, and all entries are adjudicated anonymously; entrants have the opportunity to have their work judged purely on merit. Whether you are an established writer with a strong publication record or a new talent hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, we guarantee that we will judge the writing, not the writer. That one-time flash of inspiration could be good enough to win the Prize this year.

What opportunities does the Prize open up for entrants or winners?

The Prize offers all entrants an opportunity to have their work judged by established scholars and practitioners of creative writing and English literature. Prize winners and highly commended recipients receive prize money and a public platform for promoting their work to national and international audiences. Many past recipients who were emerging writers at the time of their success in this competition have used the opportunity as a stepping stone to prolific careers as published poets, established members of writing communities, and speakers at festivals and writing workshops.

What excites you most about this year’s competition?

For me, every year is the same. On the eve of the launch of the competition, I look forward to the privilege of being one of the first to read hundreds of new poems when shortlisting begins, and with that privilege comes the responsibility of caretaking the words that somebody considered important enough to write down and submit. Then, in those moments that happen every year, when I read for the first time a poem that captivates me – what I described earlier as ‘lightning in a bottle’– those moments are unforgettable. Everybody can remember where they were when they first heard the song that becomes “their song,” and it is the same with those moments of discovery as a judge of a national poetry prize. I cannot wait, honestly.

What’s your message to poets across Australia ahead of the submission deadline?

No matter who you are or what your background is, you have words worth sharing. Take this opportunity to share them with us and we may end up sharing them with the world.

The winner of UniSQ’s 2026 Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize will receive $3000, and two highly commended entrants will be awarded $500 each. Submissions close on 22 September.