The Forward Prizes for Poetry 2016, Southbank Centre

The evening will open with an introduction by chair of the judging panel, Malika Booker – poet, playwright and multidisciplinary artist. Her fellow judges include poets George Szirtes and Liz Berry, with singer/songwriter Tracey Thorn, who also counts a column for the New Statesman and two books amongst her many talents, and Don Share, editor of Poetry Magazine. Past Forward Prize winners include Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy and Seamus Heaney.

The nominees will give readings from their diverse range of poetry, before the prizes are awarded.

Famous Living Poets

The Best Collection award honours an already established and esteemed poetic talent. This year’s contenders include Alice Oswald and Denise Riley. To celebrate this being the 25th year of the Forward Prize, this prize has been increased to a £15,000 prize, with £1,000 being awarded to each shortlisted poet.

The Next Big Thing in Poetry

Then, then the most promising up and coming poets will be awarded with Best First Collection. Nominees include Nancy Campbell with Disko Bay and Ron Carey with DISTANCE.

Finally there's an award for the Best Single Poem, which includes 'i am very precious' from Melissa Lee-Houghton and 'Joy' by Sasha Dugdale.

Malika Booker, chair of the judging panel, said:

"This is an exciting time nationally and internationally for poetry. Last year we saw poets who are normally positioned at the margins taking centre stage. We saw traditional poets pushing against our rigid criteria of what constitutes a poem. Poets are experimenting, redefining and reconstructing their poetics. I have seen some amazing new collections hit the market place already and am therefore delighted to be able to read this year’s poetic offerings whilst chairing such a distinguished and talented cohort of Forward Prizes judges.”

This event is just one of the many extraordinary events taking place as part of the London Literature Festival. To discover more, click here.