The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry 2025 | How to Apply ($1500)
The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry is now open for submissions! This annual award, named in honor of the legendary poet and activist Adrienne Rich, offers a $1,500 prize for a single poem that embodies the spirit of boldness, creativity, and social engagement that Rich championed throughout her career.
Judge: Nikky Finney
They have Nikky Finney, National Book Award-winning poet and esteemed literary figure, as this year’s final judge.
Submission Period: February 1 – April 30, 2025
Submission Guidelines
- Poems: Submit 1–3 unpublished poems on any subject, in any style, up to a maximum of 10 pages per entry. (They welcome and encourage long poems!)
- Reading Fee: $15 per entry. However, they offer a limited number of complimentary entries for poets facing financial hardship. If the fee presents a barrier, please contact us at bpj@bpj.org to inquire about available fee waivers.
- Subscription Offer: Submitters paying the reading fee may purchase a discounted 1-year subscription to the Beloit Poetry Journal (BPJ). (Additional shipping charges apply to international subscribers.)
- Simultaneous Submissions: Yes! They welcome simultaneous submissions, hiwever, please notify them immediately via Submittable if a poem is accepted elsewhere.
- No Translations: While they deeply appreciate translation work, they cannot accept translated poems for this contest. However, they encourage you to submit translations during their regular reading periods.
- Anonymity Requirement: To ensure fairness, do not include your name anywhere on the attached manuscript.
- No Edits After Submission: They cannot accept revisions to poems after they have been submitted, so please review your work carefully before submitting.
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Awards & Publication
- The Judges will notify Finalists in the summer of 2025.
- The winner will be announced in the Fall issue of the Beloit Poetry Journal and will receive a $1,500 prize.
- The BPJ editorial team will also consider all submissions for general publication in the journal.
Commitment to Ethical Standards
The Beloit Poetry Journal follows the CLMP Guidelines for Contests and is committed to the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the award process.
Please do not submit if you are:
- A personal friend, family member, or student of any BPJ editor or the judge.
- A former or current intern or staff member of the BPJ.
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About the Beloit Poetry Journal
Founded in 1950, the Beloit Poetry Journal is an independent, nonprofit literary magazine dedicated to publishing innovative and socially engaged poetry. We are proud to continue Adrienne Rich’s legacy by fostering powerful, transformative work that speaks to today’s world.
“…every poem breaks a silence that had to be overcome…”
—Adrienne Rich
For questions and inquiries, please contact us at bpj@bpj.org .
Submit Today!
Don’t miss this opportunity to have your work recognized and celebrated. Submit Now before the deadline on April 30, 2025!
