The Open Junior category calls for poetry inspired by works of visual art such as painting, sculpture or photographs. The term used to describe this form of poetry is ekphrasis and we have produced a handy resource for teachers and students to help you get started.

We will also hold a workshop via Zoom on April 11 (details to come), facilitated by Margaret Moores, whose ekphrasis has been published online and in journals including Landfall, Aotearoa Poetry Yearbook, ‘a fine line’ and The Ekphrastic Review. Her ekphrasis has also won awards, including first place in the NZPS International Competition (2019) and The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems (2022) and was placed Runner-Up in the Caselberg Trust International Poetry Competition (2022).

This workshop is for young poets who would like to learn more about ekphrasis and are thinking of entering the competition and for teachers. Please email info@poetrysociety.org.nz to register your interest.

We may hold a second workshop for adults. Please email to let us know if you’d be interested.

Can you enter an ekphrastic poem in the Open category? Yes, you can if you are inspired!