BLACK HISTORY MONTH POETRY COMPETITION 2025
Theme: Beyond the Month
Poem Stellium invites poets of colour from across the globe to submit original poetry for our 2025 Black History Month collection.
Black History is not confined to a single month — it is an ongoing story of strength, resistance, creativity, and legacy. We seek poetry that explores the lived realities, the joys, the struggles, and the unending journey of Black history beyond October.
Who Can Enter?
- Open to all people of colour, aged 16 and over
- Poets based anywhere in the world
- Poems must be submitted in English
- Free to enter
- One poem per person
Important Dates
- Submissions open: Monday, 1 September 2025
- Submissions close: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
- Selected poems published: Throughout October 2025, in honour of UK Black History Month
What Happens Next?
- Three poems will be selected for publication on the Poem Stellium website
- Selected poems will be featured in an annual printed collection — a saddle-stitched booklet that will be shared at fairs, events, and community gatherings
- If you are based in London, UK, and feel comfortable performing your work, you may be invited to share your poem at one of our events
How to Submit
Submissions will be accepted via an online form or by email. You can either:
- Write your poem directly in the body of the email or form, or
- Attach your poem as a Word document (.doc or .docx)
Please do not send PDFs.