The 2026 Young Poet Laureate competition was hosted at The Hive in Worcester and this year the theme was… Freedom.

The competition is a partnership between Severn Arts, Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Libraries. It is open to young people living or studying in Worcestershire and is judged across 3 age categories:

• School years 6 - 8
• School years 9 - 11
• School years 12 and 13

This is a great opportunity for young people to get creative, speak out about the things that matter to them and also: 

• Have work published 
• Receive mentorship from professional poets 
• Perform at exciting events
• Speak on the radio 
• Help deliver workshops that inspire other young people to write 
• Have work promoted by competition partners 

 

Find out more about the 2026 winners

Read the 2026 anthology here