The Ekphrastic Poetry Prize

The 2026 Ekphrastic Poetry Prize is organised by Palette Poetry, an online literary journal dedicated to publishing contemporary poetry. The competition invites poets to submit ekphrastic poems — works inspired by or responding to a specific piece of visual art, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, films, or the writer’s own images. The contest is judged by poet and educator Divya Victor, and submissions must be original, previously unpublished poems written primarily in English.

Poets may submit up to three poems in a single document, with each poem beginning on a new page. The competition accepts international entries and welcomes the inclusion of other languages as long as the work is largely written in English. Palette Poetry does not accept AI-produced or AI-assisted work.

Prizes: $3,000, publication, and a brief interview in Palette Poetry. Second place receives $300 and publication, while third place receives $200 and publication.