Bloodaxe titles longlisted for the Forward Prizes 2026
For the first time this year, the judges of the Forward Prizes have decided to share their longlists. Seven Bloodaxe titles have been longlisted for the 2026 Forward Prizes, four for the Best Collection Prize, and three for the Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection.
The longlists for all four categories of the Forward Prizes 2026 were released on 19 June. The shortlists will be announced on 16 July 2026.
The 2026 Forward Prize for Best Collection
• John Challis: The Green Parcel (June, 2026)
• Tishani Doshi: Egrets, While War (May, 2026)
• Clare Pollard: Lives of the Female Poets (September, 2025)
• Penelope Shuttle: History of the Child (February, 2026)
The 2026 Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection
• Roshni Gallagher: Even the Trees (published 17 September 2026)
• Cathy Galvin: Ethnology: a love song for Connemara (February, 2026)
• Jennifer Lee Tsai: Melete (May, 2026)
The judges of the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry are author Sarah Moss, Chair, along with poets Romalyn Ante, WN Herbert, Michael Mullen and Yomi Ṣode. They chosen their longlists from over 500 submissions.
The full longlists can be found on the Forward Prizes webpage here.
The Forward Prizes for Poetry are among the most influential awards for new poetry in the UK and Ireland, honouring fresh voices alongside internationally established names.
First awarded in 1992, over the last three decades the prizes have celebrated some of the most recognised names in poetry. There are now 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)
The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed (£1,000)
The winners will be announced at London's Southbank Centre on Saturday 24 October 2026 at the Forward Prize readings and ceremony.
The winner of the Forward Prize for Best Collection 2025 was
Vidyan Ravinthiran for his third poetry collection
Avidyā. This was the first time in the history of the Forward Prizes that two poets were jointly awarded the Best Collection Prize. The second poet was Karen Solie for her collection
Wellwater (Picador). This historic announcement was made at a ceremony at London's Southbank Centre on 26 October 2025. The winner of the Forward Prize for Best First Collection 2024 was
Marjorie Lotfi for her debut
The Wrong Person to Ask.
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[23 June 2026]
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