Ekphrastic Poetry Prize

Following the success of our Gothic story competition last year, this year WayWORD are running an Ekphrastic Poetry Prize, with a grand prize of £250 for the winning poem!

Ekphrastic poetry involves the translation of a visual artwork into a vivid descriptive poem. For this competition, we’re asking writers from across Scotland to respond to artworks featured in the University Collections’ Aberdeen Artworlds exhibition in the Sir Duncan Rice Library.

The shortlisted poems will all be read at a special event during our October festival, where the winning poem will also be announced!

What can you write about?

There are 21 works on display in the Aberdeen Artworlds exhibition, some of which are viewable online. These include:

• William Burns – The Jubilee Pit
• James Cowie – Set Square
• Stanley Cursiter – Marjorie and Eric marriage portraits
• Joan Eardley – Andrew
• Joan Eardley – Salmon Nets on the Shore
• JD Fergusson – The Brass Kettle and Hortensia 
• Ian Fleming – Thistles in the Sun
• George Leslie Hunter – Still Life with a Bottle
• Samuel Peploe – Still Life
• Robin Phillipson – Threnody in Red
• Anne Redpath – Tulips in a White Jug
• Frances Walker – September
• Emilio Coia – Magnus Merriman (on view in exhibition)
• Jack Knox – History Lesson (on view in exhibition)
• Mary Potter – Portrait of Andro and Magnus Linklater  (on view in exhibition)
• Anne Redpath – Gloxinias (on view in exhibition)
• Thomas Whalen – Pieta (on view in exhibition)
• Bryce Wilson – Portrait of Marjorie Linklater (on view in exhibition)
• Rosemount Nights script cover (on view in exhibition)

How to enter

Writers aged 16+ who are resident in Scotland are invited to submit up to two poems inspired by artworks featured in the Aberdeen Artworlds exhibition.

Poems must be submitted in a Word and/or PDF document to the WayWORD email address along with your name, address and contact details.

The competition deadline is Monday 31^st August with the winner announced at our October festival.

Get inspired at our Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop

To support the competition, we’re running a creative writing workshop with poet Stewart Sanderson on Wednesday 13 May. Sanderson will explore the process behind some of his ekphrastic poetry before participants have a go at writing their own piece inspired by paintings included in the Aberdeen Artworlds exhibition in the Sir Duncan Rice Library.