We are glad to finally announce that the much-awaited longlist for the 2026 Joe Ushie Poetry Prize is now set to be released.
With over 1000 poems submitted by over 400 poets, the tussle for the inaugural Joe Ushie Poetry Prize is already an exciting contest. Our judges have reviewed all eligible entries, and have whittled everything down to a longlist of 30.
As against what is the norm for most prizes, we will not be announcing the entire longlist at once. Rather, we will announce two qualifying entries per day beginning November 3, 2025. So, all entrants are encouraged to stay glued to our Facebook, X and TikTok accounts. You never know when your name may pop up.
All longlisted entries will be published in the Prize anthology, which will be unveiled at the award ceremony in January 2026. A shortlist of 10 entries is expected sometime in December, and the three finalists will be announced early January.
We deeply appreciate all the poets who made an entry for the inaugural Joe Ushie Poetry Prize.
Cheers to poetry and to the magic of words!
– Johnson Nte’ne
Chairman, the Joe Ushie Literature Foundation.
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