Renowned for championing poetry at its most innovative, with new voices and internationally celebrated writers alike, the Forward Prizes for Poetry shortlists announced today include many poets who have recently featured in The Poetry Review as well as Poet Laureate and Poetry Society vice president Simon Armitage and members Abeer Ameer, Tom Branfoot and Nick Makoha. The shortlists also include award-winning deaf poets Raymond Antrobus and Zoë McWhinney, following the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed accepting British Sign Language entries for the first timeAmong the most coveted and influential prizes for poetry, the 2025 Forward Prizes for Poetry are awarded in four categories: the Forward Prize for Best Collection (£10,000), the Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection (£5,000), the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Written (£1,000), and the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed (£1,000). 2025 chair of judges, Sarah Hall, said: “From songs to sonnets to the surreal, there’s the creative renewal of forms alongside innovation. Indelible artefacts, kinetics, a truly extraordinary range of expressions.” Sarah Hall is joined by poets and writers Lisa Kelly, Hannah Lavery, Sean O’Brien and Rommi Smith in this year’s judging panel. This year’s winners will be announced at a special ceremony at the Southbank Centre as part of the London Literature Festival at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Sunday 26th October 2025.