About Christopher Tower
Tower Poetry was founded in 2000 when a generous bequest was made by the late Christopher Tower to stimulate an enjoyment and critical appreciation of poetry, particularly among young people in education, and to challenge people to write their own poetry.
Tower Poetry runs a prestigious annual competition for 16-18 year olds in the UK on a set theme, and biennial residential summer schools for 18-23 year olds.
The poetry competition is the most generous of its kind for young people in the UK, and is free to enter; Tower Poetry also covers the tuition and accommodation costs for the summer schools.
Christopher Thomas Tower (1915-1998) was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, reading history from 1934-1937. At Eton he won numerous school prizes for poetry, English literature and allied subjects, and was a founder and first secretary of the Eton College Archaeological Society.
These interests took him to the Middle East where he studied Arabic and Persian. After holding a number of official appointments in that area, he settled in Athens to devote more time to his writing in retirement; he wrote nine illustrated books of poetry in his lifetime, mainly of Persian and Arab legends.
Christopher Tower left a legacy of £5m to be used by Christ Church to endow two teaching posts: a Poetry Studentship and a Tutorial Fellowship, with an associated University Lectureship plus a Junior Research Fellowship in Greek mythology. His benefaction also funds the Christopher Tower Poetry Prize.
Aim and Benefits of Christopher Tower Poetry Competition
- The poet who writes the best single poem on the theme of ‘The Planets’ receives £5,000.
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There will be a second prize of £3,000, and a third prize of £1,500. Along with these, there will be ten runners up, who will each receive £500.
Requirements for Christopher Tower Poetry Competition Qualification
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Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on February 24, 2023.
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Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition.
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Entries for the Tower Poetry Prize 2023 must be on the designated theme.
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Entries must be written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length.
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Entry must be made via the website, with true and accurate information given.
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Each entrant may submit only one poem.
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Poems may not be edited after they are submitted to the Tower Poetry Competition; only the first entry will be considered.
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Poems with joint authorship are ineligible.
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Each poem must be the entrant’s own work: it must not incorporate poetry by others without acknowledgement and (where appropriate) citation, and it must not include substantial elements (phrases, lines, or larger blocks of composition) that have been suggested or authored by others engaged in providing specific editorial advice to the entrant.
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Poems must not have been previously published, broadcast or submitted to another competition.
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The competition is not open to family members or close relatives of employees of Christ Church, Oxford.
Application Deadline
February 24, 2023
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Your name, date of birth, and email address.
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The address of your school/college
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Contact details for your teacher; and
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Your poem – upload one PDF, DOC, or DOCX file.
