PLEASE NOTE: 2026 APPLICATIONS FOR THE FINDING BEAUTY POETRY PRIZE HAVE NOW CLOSED.

Finding Beauty Poetry Prize 2026

The Finding Beauty Poetry Prize for emerging poets has been established in memory of Roger Green, an environmental advocate, writer and editor, lover of poetry, and thinker. Roger believed that beauty has the power to alleviate fear and hardship, and to provide hope and inspiration.

Meet the Judges

We are delighted to welcome two distinguished judges to the second Finding Beauty Poetry Prize, each bringing exceptional expertise and a considered engagement with the theme, Finding Beauty in Human Interaction.

ENTRIES CAN BE MADE BELOW: Please read the following terms and conditions before making a submission.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

OVERVIEW and PURPOSE

• The Finding Beauty Poetry Prize is established in memory of Roger Green, a lifelong environmental advocate, writer and editor, lover of poetry, and thinker. Roger believed that beauty had the power to alleviate fear and hardship, and to provide hope and inspiration.

• The prize recognises and rewards emerging poets in Canberra and its surrounding regions, encouraging them to explore the theme of beauty in its many dimensions such as in the natural world, art, music and human action. The prize is intended to be ongoing.
  
  The theme for the prize in 2026 is 'Finding Beauty in Human Interaction'.

KEY DATES

• Call for entries opens on Monday, 23 March.

• Entries must be received no later than midnight on Monday, 18 May. * DEADLINE EXTENDED to Sunday 24 May

• Shortlisted entries will be announced Thursday, 20 June.

• Winners will be announced at the ACT Literary Awards on Thursday 2 July – at Juliet, Verity Lane Market, 50 Northbourne Ave, Canberra ACT.

PRIZES

• The First Prize winner will receive AUD $5,000.

• The Second Prize winner will receive AUD $2,000.

• The remaining selected shortlisted poets will each receive AUD $750.

• Award winners and shortlisted poets may have their work published online in the MARION Journal and/or in a future poetry publication dedicated to the theme.

• Judges may, at their discretion, award up to two honourable mentions.

ELIGIBILITY

• Residency: Entrants must have a strong connection to the Canberra region as defined by this eligibility map (e.g., through residency, birth, family ties, or extended involvement or commitment to the region through study or work). 

• The applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia.

• The prize is open to emerging poets aged 18 and over.

• Submitted poems must not have been previously published in a book (including anthologies), a literary journal (print or online), or a commercial website. However, poems that have only been self-published (e.g., on a personal blog or social media) or published in non-commercial community newsletters or university publications are eligible, provided the entrant retains full rights to their work.

• If the submitted poem is longlisted or shortlisted for another award, the poet must promptly notify MARION. To preserve the integrity of the judging process, the poet may be required to choose between opportunities and withdraw their work from one competition before final outcomes are announced.

• For the purposes of the Finding Beauty Poetry Prize, an emerging poet is defined as a writer who has demonstrated dedication to their craft but has not yet achieved significant professional recognition.

  This may include poets who:

  • Have not yet published a full-length collection with a commercial publisher.

  • May have had poems published in journals, anthologies, or online platforms but are still in the early stages of their literary career.

  • Have not received major literary awards or fellowships for their poetry.

  • Are actively developing their voice and body of work within the literary community.

The prize is designed to support and encourage emerging poets by providing financial recognition and public acknowledgment of their work. This may include individuals who have actively written poetry, studied writing, or are currently undertaking writing studies at a tertiary institution.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Entries must be uploaded to this submission form.

• The form below must be completed and payment received for your submission to be valid.

• Format: Upload your poem as a PDF or Word document using a legible font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12pt, single-spaced)

• Language: Poems must be written in English.

• Length: Poems must be a maximum of 80 lines. The title is not included in this line count.

• Poems that have already been awarded must not be entered.

ENTRY FEES

• Entry fees
  $15 per entry for MARION members
  $20 per entry for full-time students and concession card holders
  $25 per entry for non-members

• Entry fees are non-refundable, including in cases where an entrant withdraws their submission.

• Individuals can enter a maximum of 6 works. Each work must be submitted separately, and an entry fee is required for each submission.

JUDGING PROCESS

• Submissions will be assessed on originality, artistic merit, thematic relevance (finding beauty in human interaction), and emotional impact.

• The prize will be blind judged; judges will not know the identity of entrants.

• Submissions must have no identifying information in the document. Please ensure your name does not appear in the document itself.

EXCLUSIONS

• Members of the judging panel, MARION staff and Board, as well as immediate family members of MARION staff and organisers, are not eligible to enter.

ORIGINALITY AND AI USE

• Entries must be original works written by an individual living author and must not infringe upon anyone’s copyright.

• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creation or generation of submissions is not permitted. Entries found to have been generated by AI, or substantially assisted by AI, will be disqualified.

PRIVACY, DATA AND OUTCOMES

• Entrants' personal information will be managed in accordance with MARION’s privacy policy and relevant privacy laws. It will be used solely for administering the prize.

• Should any dispute arise between MARION and the Award Recipient that cannot be solved by negotiation between the two parties, the dispute will be resolved through mediation by the ACT Conflict Resolution Service.

• All decisions by MARION and the judging panel are final. No further correspondence will be entered into.

ENTRY SUBMISSION FORM