ACU Vice President Father Anthony Casamento, pictured with Professor Margot Hillel. Photo: ACU.
The 2018 Australian Catholic University Prize for Poetry opened for entries on 5 March with “Empathy” as the major theme.
The annual poetry competition aims to support writers and continue the tradition of the Catholic Church as a key patron of the arts.
Last year’s top accolade was taken by Canberra-based poet Geoff Page for his piece Charles S. Ryan to Alice E. Sumner.
The grand prize stands at $10,000 for the winner, $5000 for second place, and $3000 as the third prize.
The contest will be judged by Australian poet, distinguished academic, and critic Chris Wallace-Crabbe.
Christopher Wallace-Crabb, Australian poet and emeritus professor in the University of Melbourne, will judge this year’s Australian Catholic University Prize for Poetry. Photo: ACU.
Professor Wallace-Crabbe is a renowned figure in Australia’s literary community and enjoys a wider reputation in the international world of letters.
The winning and shortlisted poems will be published in a chapbook which will be launched during the announcement of shortlisted, commended and winning poems on 6 September in Melbourne.
ACU Vice President Father Anthony Casamento CSMA said poetry continued to be a valuable art form.
“Poetry has previously been seen as the poor cousin in the literary world, but it holds such power to put expressions of great emotion into print and to share those feelings with others,” Fr Casamento said.
“The University wants to provide a voice to those who can capture the art of poetry and to nurture those who tell stories through their poems.”
Following the growing popularity of the contest, online submission of entries has been introduced this year in addition to submission by post.
Australian residents, including any international student currently studying at an Australian university, are eligible to enter as long as their poem has not previously been published or won any other literary prize.
Entered poems must be unpublished (including on any website or blog), must not have won any other competition, and must not be under consideration by any publisher, literary journal or for any other prize.
Poetry submissions must not include the name of the poet and not exceed 80 lines. Entries close on 20 July 2018.
For more information about the ACU 2018 Prize for Poetry, email: aculiterature@acu.edu.aus