About

The Coniston Prize is an annual award that recognizes an exceptional group of poems by a woman writing in English. Any poet who identifies as a woman is eligible.

Past Winners

2021: Grace MacNair, selected by Yona Harvey; 2020: Laura Villareal, selected by Ada Limón; 2019: Quinn Lewis, selected by Kim Addonizio; 2018: Erin Malone, selected by Martha Rhodes; 2017: Emily Viggiano Saland, selected by Dorothea Lasky; 2016: Sarah Ann Winn, selected by Gabrielle Calvocoressi; 2015: Alexandra Lytton Regalado, selected by Lynn Emanuel; 2014: Flower Conroy, selected by Mary Biddinger

2022 Judge: Dorianne Laux

2022 Guidelines

In 2022, the winner of the Coniston Prize will receive $1,000, and up to 10 finalists will also be awarded $175. The winner and all finalists’ poems will be featured in the October 2022 Coniston Prize Issue.

Submissions are open June 1 – August 1. We notify all entrants before October 1. The entry fee is $20.

*For the first 7 days that Coniston Prize submissions are open, we will waive fees for BIPOC poets. After that time, paid submissions will continue to be open to all eligible poets. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please submit through the “BIPOC Poets” option in Submittable.*

Submit 3-5 previously unpublished poems in a single document through our submissions manager. You may include a cover letter and brief bio in the comments box. Multiple submissions are acceptable with additional reading fee.

This award recognizes an exceptional group of poems. We therefore suggest that you submit poems that are intentionally cohesive in some way, whether connected by subject matter, theme, voice, style, or imagery.

Please remove all identifying information from the poems themselves. All contest submissions will be read anonymously.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but we cannot refund contest fees if you have to withdraw all or part of your submission. Multiple entries are acceptable with an additional fee.

Eligibility

The Coniston Prize is awarded to women poets. Any poet who identifies as a woman is eligible.

If you know the editors or our judge personally, you should not submit your work. This includes current or former students of the editors or the judge. If such a relationship is identified, your entry will be disqualified. If you are unsure whether your relationship would make you ineligible, query us: radarpoetry (at) gmail (dot) com.

Process

Each year, the editors first read all Coniston Prize submissions without viewing any personal information (name, cover letter, or bio). From these submissions, the editors select up to 10 finalists. The finalists’ manuscripts, free of any identifying information, are then sent to the contest judge, who selects a winner.

Please click here to submit.