Are you:

Aged 12-17?

Love poetry, and want to develop your writing, and practice performing your poetry with other young poets?

Free on Saturdays to attend a monthly workshop in Chatham Library?

​

We're making some changes to the Youth Poet Laureate Scheme, because we've got funding from Arts Council England to develop the scheme over the next year (2026-2027)! Instead of running a yearly competition, we're opening the scheme to more young poets, and working closely with 4 Medway schools to bring regular free workshops and poet visits to the classroom! 

 

Individual young poets also have a chance to attend 6 workshops which will be held monthly in Medway libraries on Saturdays, and attend special guest poet visits. To be part of the scheme, just email us your best poem on any topic, and we'll add you to our email group let you know about our workshops! The workshops are free, and optional to attend.

 

It's a great way to develop your writing, meet other young people who love poetry and get some amazing extra-curriculars for your university application. See below for more information about the first two years of the Scheme. 

 ​

One of our first intake of Laureates, Indi, has written a blog about their experience on the scheme.  

​​​

Key points: 

• Age range: 12-17

• The poem you send us should be your best work, not AI assisted, and up to 40 lines, in English.

• Opening date: 10/10/26

• Closing date: 12/03/27.

• You must live in Medway.

• Please submit one poem only. 

• Entries will not be returned, so please keep a copy.

• Any queries, please email. 

• Entry is completely free. Attendance on the Laureate Scheme is completely free. 

• Poems must be the entrant’s original work.

• Poems should be submitted in a Word document as an attachment to riverlit24@gmail.com with the subject heading 'Laureate 2026 Submission'.

• Put your name, school, or if you are home educated write 'home-educated', date of birth and title of the poem in the email's body. 

• You can also post or hand your entry into any Medway Library. Remember to put your name and contact details on the poem! 

• Address the envelope to:

Medway Laureate Competition, Chatham Library and Community Hub, Gun Wharf Gardens Road, Dock Rd, Chatham ME4 4TX.

​​

​​​​

About the Medway Youth Laureates Scheme

​​

Medway Youth Laureate 2024

For Medway River Lit 2024 we were excited to launch the Medway Youth Laureate Scheme with Medway Libraries.​ Poets were asked to write a poem in response to the question: 'What's the weather like?' ​​The award ceremony was part of Medway River Lit and Anne-Marie was privileged to present certificates and prizes (a book token and book generously provided by Medway Council's Climate Response Team, plus books from publishers Crystal Peake and Wordsmithery,) to our first Laureates, Lydia (16-17), Indigo (14-15) and Jessica (12-13). Find out more here. 

​​

Medway Youth Laureate 2025

In the second year of the Medway Youth Laureate, poets wrote a poem responding to the theme of: 'Earth, Air, Fire, & Water.' Winners were announced at Medway River Lit launch and prizes awarded by our patron, poet Theresa Lola.

​1st: 12-13 age category

Taylor Bailey 'Smiling Deep Blue'

1st: 14-15 age category:

Irene Obadare 'The pleas of the speechless'

1st:16-17 age category:

Julija Kuka 'The Tarnished Flame'

​​

See the blog for the full list of winners. 

Find out more
 

Winners also had the opportunity to attend regular writing workshops and are writing pieces which will be published in an anthology.

​​​
If you have any questions - please email Medway River Lit. 

​​​​​​​​​​