The Worcester Country Poetry Assocation runs two poetry contests each year.
The WCPA Annual Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize is open to all members, Worcester County residents and students, and employees of Worcester County businesses. Winning poems are published in The Worcester Review and the poets are honored with a winners’ reading. The contests opens for submissions in February each year, closes for submissions on April 1st and winners are normally notified by the end of June. A winner’s reading is held in September.
Learn more about the WCPA Annual Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize.
Learn about or enter this year’s contest here.
Recent past winners
- O’Hara Prize Reading Brings Poetry to Downtown
- FINAL WEEK for the Frank O’Hara Prize Submissions and FINAL WEEK for Kunitz Medal Nominations
- 2022 Annual Poetry Contest Submission are open!
- Announcing the Winners of the 2021 WCPA Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize
- 2019 WCPA Annual Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize
The WCPA Annual College Poetry Contest: the Elizabeth Bishop Manuscript Prize and the Etheridge Knight Performance Prize was established to encourage and recognize the next generation of poets. The finalists, who are nominated by faculty and administrators at colleges in Worcester County, compete for two available awards: the Poetry Manuscript Prize and the Poetry Performance Prize. The finalists reading is usually held in April each year.
Learn more about the WCPA Annual College Poetry Contest: the Elizabeth Bishop Manuscript Prize and the Etheridge Knight Performance Prize.