The McLellan Poetry Prize is awarded by the Arran Theatre and Arts Trust as part of the annual McLellan Arts Festival, which runs this year from 30th August – 8th September.
Now in its thirteenth year, past judges have included Kathleen Jamie, Robert Crawford, Jackie Kay, Peter and Ann Sansom, Michael Laskey, Simon Armitage, David Constantine, Maura Dooley and Sinéad Morrissey.
The judge for this year will be Sean O’Brien.
- 1st prize £1500
- 2nd prize £300
- 3rd prize £150
- 6 commendations of £25
The competition closing date is 21st June 2019
Sean O’Brien’s ninth poetry collection Europa (2018) was shortlisted for the T S Eliot Prize. His Collected Poems appeared in 2012. His poetry has received various awards including the T.S. Eliot, Forward and Roehampton poetry prizes. Other recent publications include his second novel Once Again Assembled Here, a chapbook of poetry and photographs Hammersmith, both in 2016, and his second collection of short stories Quartier Perdu in 2018.
He is a critic, translator, editor, playwright, novelist, broadcaster, experienced writing tutor and mentor. He is Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Entries may be made online or by post.
Please see the Arran Theatre and Arts Trust website for the online entry form (the postal entry form can also be accessed from there), and for information on the competition rules.