The Poetry Society

Last updated

The Poetry Society
Formation1909;116 years ago (1909)
Type Membership organisation
HeadquartersBetterton Street, Covent Garden, London, England, United Kingdom
Publication
Poetry Review
Website poetrysociety.org.uk
Formerly called
Poetry Recital Society

The Poetry Society is a membership organisation, open to all, whose stated aim is "to promote the study, use and enjoyment of poetry". The society was founded in London in February 1909 as the Poetry Recital Society, becoming the Poetry Society in 1912. Its first president was Lady Margaret Sackville. [1]

Contents

From its current premises in Covent Garden, London, The Poetry Society publishes The Poetry Review , a poetry magazine. Established in 1912, its current editor is the poet Wayne Holloway-Smith, who succeeded Emily Berry in 2023. Berry herself succeeded Maurice Riordan in 2017. Fiona Sampson was the magazine's editor from 2005 to 2012. [2]

In 2011, "with the help of some initial funding from Arts Council England's Poetry & Young People Project", the poet Holly Hopkins helped set up the Young Poets Network arm of the society, [3] which now focusses on supporting poets "up to the age of 25." [4] The poet Jayant Kashyap called it "the best place for young poets based anywhere in the world." [5]

Awards

The society organises several competitions, including the British National Poetry Competition, [6] the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, [7] The Popescu Prize, The Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry and the Geoffrey Dearmer Award. The society also ran the Alice Hunt Bartlett Prize from 1986 to 1997.

References

  1. "Premiums for Poets" [ permanent dead link ], Evening Post, 24 September 1909.
  2. "Publications" Archived 3 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine , The Poetry Society.
  3. "Celebrating 10 Years of Young Poets Network: A History". Young Poets Network. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  4. "About Young Poets Network". Young Poets Network. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  5. "Ten Reasons To Get Involved in Young Poets Network". Young Poets Network. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  6. "The Poetry Society (Competitions)". The Poetry Society. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  7. Foyle Young Poets, The Poetry Society.