T. S. Eliot Prize Explained

Awarded For:Best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland
Country:United Kingdom

The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is a prize for poetry awarded by the T. S. Eliot Foundation. For many years it was awarded by the Eliots' Poetry Book Society (UK) to "the best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland"[1] in any particular year. The Prize was inaugurated in 1993 in celebration of the Poetry Book Society's 40th birthday and in honour of its founding poet, T. S. Eliot. Since its inception, the prize money was donated by Eliot's widow, Valerie Eliot and more recently it has been given by the T. S. Eliot Estate.

The T. S. Eliot Foundation took over the running of the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2016, appointing as its new director Chris Holifield (formerly director of the Poetry Book Society),[2] when the former Poetry Book Society charity had to be wound up, with its book club and company name taken over by book sales agency Inpress Ltd in Newcastle. Holifield retired at the end of June 2022 after 20 years in the post, being replaced by Mike Sims.[3] The winner now receives £25,000 and the ten shortlisted poets each receive £1,500, making it the United Kingdom's most valuable annual poetry competition. The Prize has been called "the most coveted award in poetry".[4]

The shortlist for the Prize is announced in October of each year, and the 10 shortlisted poets take part in the Readings at the Royal Festival Hall in London's Southbank Centre on the evening before the announcement of the Prize.[5] Two thousand people attended the 2011 reading.[6]

List of winners

List of judges

Shortlists

2020s

2023

2022[17]

2021[18]

2020

2010s

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

The shortlist was announced 23 October 2013.[20]

2012

The shortlist was announced 23 October 2012.[21]

2011

2010

2000s

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1990s

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rules and Conditions of Entry for the T.S. Eliot Prize . 27 September 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070921000008/http://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/PBS/pdf_files/TS_Eliot_2007_guidelines.pdf . 21 September 2007 .
  2. Former PBS director Holifield to run T S Eliot Prize. The Bookseller. 15 June 2016. Katherine. Cowdrey. 11 November 2022.
  3. T S Eliot Prize director Holifield retires after 20 years as Sims takes on role. The Bookseller. Sian. Bayley. 18 May 2022.
  4. News: Jury . Louise . The Independent . Heaney wins £10,000 TS Eliot prize . 16 January 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111003453/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/heaney-wins-16310000-ts-eliot-prize-432270.html . dead . 11 November 2012 . London.
  5. Web site: The T S Eliot Prize. 26 October 2016.
  6. News: Cran . Rona . Report: 2011 T.S.Eliot Prize . 27 January 2011 . The Literateur . 12 March 2011.
  7. News: The Water Table by Philip Gross: review. Rahim . Sameer . 21 January 2010. 17 July 2019. The Telegraph.
  8. News: David Harsent wins TS Eliot prize for poetry for Fire Songs. Kennedy. Maev. 2015-01-12. The Guardian. 2019-06-20.
  9. Web site: Debut collection scoops T S Eliot Prize. Poetry Book Society. 12 January 2016. 13 January 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160131151758/http://poetrybooks.co.uk/news/517/debut_collection_scoops_t_s_eliot_prize/. 31 January 2016. dmy-all.
  10. News: TS Eliot Prize: Jacob Polley is awarded world's most prestigious poetry prize for his collection Jackself. Jessie. Thompson. . 16 January 2017. 17 January 2017.
  11. News: TS Eliot prize goes to Ocean Vuong's 'compellingly assured' debut collection. 15 January 2018. 16 January 2018. Sian. Cain. The Guardian.
  12. News: The winner of this year's TS Eliot Prize for poetry has been announced. Thompson. Jessie. 2019-01-14. Evening Standard. 2019-01-14.
  13. News: 2021-01-24. Bhanu Kapil wins TS Eliot poetry prize for 'radical' How to Wash a Heart. 2021-01-26. Alison. Flood. The Guardian. en.
  14. Web site: 2022-01-17. Taylor wins 2021 T S Eliot Prize. 2022-01-26. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
  15. Web site: Winner – The T. S. Eliot Prize . 2023-01-17 . tseliot.com.
  16. News: 2024-01-15. Jamaican poet Jason Allen-Paisant's Self-Portrait as Othello wins TS Eliot prize. 2024-01-16. Ella. Creamer. The Guardian. en.
  17. Web site: Shaffi . Sarah . 2022-10-13 . TS Eliot prize announces a 'shapeshifting' shortlist . 2022-10-13 . The Guardian . en.
  18. Web site: 2021-10-15. T S Eliot Prize shortlist announced. 2021-10-15. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
  19. News: Flood . Alison . 2022-01-10 . Joelle Taylor wins TS Eliot poetry prize for 'blazing' C+nto & Othered Poems . en . The Guardian . 2022-01-12.
  20. News: TS Eliot Prize 2013: shortlist announced . London . The Daily Telegraph . Charlotte . Runcie . 24 October 2013.
  21. News: TS Eliot prize for poetry announces 'fresh, bold' shortlist . . Alison . Flood . 23 October 2012 . 23 October 2012 . London.
  22. News: Poet Sharon Olds scoops TS Eliot Prize for 'confessional' work about her husband's affair . Clark . Nick . 14 January 2013 . The Guardian . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/poet-sharon-olds-scoops-ts-eliot-prize-for-confessional-work-about-her-husbands-affair-8451387.html . 26 May 2022 . subscription . live . London.
  23. News: Alice Oswald withdraws from TS Eliot prize in protest at sponsor Aurum. Alison. Flood. The Guardian. 6 December 2011.
  24. News: TS Eliot prize: Second poet withdraws in sponsor protest. Alison. Flood. 7 December 2011. The Guardian.
  25. Web site: T.S. Eliot Prize 2010 Shortlist . Poetry Book Society . https://web.archive.org/web/20110202123348/http://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/projects/4/ . 2 February 2011 . dead . dmy-all .
  26. News: BBC News Today – TS Eliot Prize 2009. BBC News . 15 January 2010 .