Forward Prizes and Summit

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The annual Forward Prizes for Poetry recognise the best single poems, printed or performed, the best first collection and the best collection as well as producing an anthology of work from the year.

For the fourth year now Squad poets have taken part in the Forward Youth Poets Summit and attended the Prize announcement event. After previous years in Leeds and Durham, October 2025 and 2026 saw us at London’s South Bank with Barbican Young Poets, HIVE South Yorkshire, Young Identity, Literature Works and Dignity & Respect. After a day of debate and workshops curated by the poets themselves, including making their pwn choice in each of the Forward categories, we attend the prize ceremony to see if our shadow judges agree with the official judges’ decisions.