Fairbanks Arts Association accepting submissions for annual poetry contest

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - This winter, the Fairbanks Arts Association is running its annual Statewide Poetry Contest.

“It’s a really great opportunity to participate in our literary community in the state,” said Teal Francis, Programs and Communications Coordinator with the Fairbanks Arts Association.

According to Francis, the event has been going on for 27 years.

Any resident of Alaska can enter. “We have people from age 4 to age 99 that participate,” Francis said.

The contest has 4 categories: Elementary School, Middle School, High School and Adult. Between 300 and 500 entries are typically submitted each year.

Poems submitted can be any length up to 100 lines. “It’s really cool to see what people are writing about in different areas of the state, and what they’re excited about, or what their passions are,” Francis explained.

The poems are judged on a variety of factors. According to Francis, judges are “looking out for poems that are innovative, or that are really heartfelt, or touching on emotions.”

“Overall, it really depends on the judge,” she added.

According to Francis, the judges are different from year to year. “So you never totally know. Yours could be not selected as an awardee one year, and selected as one the next year by a different judge.”

Winners are eligible to win a monetary prize. The poets chosen will also get the chance to record their poem at their local National Public Radio station. In April 2022, winning poems will also be published on the Fairbanks Arts Association website.

There are rewards to entering, even if a writer’s work isn’t selected. “It’s a really fun contest and it’s really supportive, and it’s a good chance to try getting your work out there,” Francis said.

The contest began on the 1st of December and runs until February 11th of next year.

More information can be found here.

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