About this opportunity
Most literary prizes ask for a book. This one asks for ten poems, which makes it a realistic first call for a writer whose work lives in notebooks and journals rather than in a printed spine. The Evaristo Prize is open to African poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published, and it carries USD $1,500 to the winner.
The prize began life in 2012 as the Brunel International African Poetry Prize, founded and managed for ten years by the British writer Bernardine Evaristo. It now runs under the African Poetry Book Fund, the publisher and archive behind the New Generation African Poets series, which is also the team reading your work.
Submissions for this cycle open on 1 October and close on 1 November 2026. The provider publishes no cut-off time, so plan on sending your packet well before the closing date. Everything goes through Submittable, and the fund states clearly that it does not track submissions sent by email, so those will not be considered.
Two details decide whether an entry is read at all. The packet must hold exactly ten poems, no more and no less, with none longer than 40 lines, and the document must carry no identifying information at all. Poems may already have been published or won awards elsewhere, and previous entrants are welcome to send new work.
What you receive
- USD $1,500 prize for a packet of ten poems
- Open to poets with no full-length book yet, so a first collection is not required
- A share of the prize goes to the translator when the winning work is a translation
- Shortlisted and winning poets have their ten submitted poems posted on the African Poetry Book Fund website
- A shortlist is announced in April and the winner in May
- Poems may have been previously published or won awards elsewhere
Who can apply
- Open to African writers, meaning someone born in Africa, a national or resident of an African country, or someone whose parents are African
- Applicants must not have had a full-length poetry book published at the time of submission
- Self published poetry books, chapbooks and pamphlets are exempt from that stipulation
- Poets who published a chapbook in a New Generation African Poets box set remain eligible if they have no full-length book
- Exactly ten poems, no more and no less, submitted as one document
- Each poem no longer than 40 lines
- Poems must be the original work of the entrant
- Only poems written in English can be considered, and poems in translation are welcome for consideration
- The suggested format is Times New Roman or Arial, 12 point, single spaced, one poem per page, all in black
- Entries are accepted between 1 October and 1 November 2026 through Submittable
Who should not apply
- Past or present paid employees of the University of Nebraska Press, Akashic Books or Amalion Press
- Current faculty, students or employees at the University of Nebraska or Brown University
- Submissions sent by email, which the fund does not track and will not consider
- Documents that carry the poet name or other identifying information
- Packets of nine or eleven poems
Documents to prepare
- A single document holding the ten poems, with no identifying information inside it
- The document named after the title of the first poem in the packet
- A Submittable cover letter giving your name, nationality, country of birth, full address including country of permanent residence, personal email address and telephone number
How to apply
- Read the prize page on the African Poetry Book Fund website before you assemble the packet
- Choose ten poems and keep each one at or under 40 lines
- Set them out in one document, one poem to a page, with no name or contact detail anywhere inside
- Name the file after the title of your first poem
- Open the Submittable page for the Evaristo Prize for African Poetry and upload the document
- Write the cover letter with your name, nationality, country of birth, full address, email and phone number
- Submit between 1 October and 1 November 2026, and email apbf@brown.edu only for questions about submission logistics
Selection process
- The African Poetry Book Fund convenes a judging panel each year. The inaugural panel was Gabeba Baderoon as Chair with Tjawangwa Dema and Tsitsi Jaji, and the panel for this cycle is to be announced
- All entries are handled by the African Poetry Book Fund Coordinator to keep screening confidential
- The cover letter is concealed from screeners and judges, so the poems are read anonymously
- A shortlist of poets is announced in April and a winner in May
- The fund reserves the right not to award the prize where the judges consider it justified, and to split the prize if more than one poet is judged worthy
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- Fortis Society Fellowship 2027 for Emerging Leaders from Humble Beginnings, Fully Funded through the Summit in Medellín
The Fortis Society Fellowship is the route into the Society for the 2027 cohort, a five month, fully funded programme of mentorship and workshops that ends with cohort days and the Fortis Summit in Medellín in June 2027. Applications close on 8 November 2026, there is no fee, no degree requirement and no nomination needed.
- YRV Global Teachers Grant 2026 for Secondary School English Teachers
The YRV Global Teachers Grant funds classroom projects by secondary school English teachers that celebrate local cultures and strengthen students' cultural identities. Grants of up to 300 US dollars are available from a 10,000 dollar pool, and applications close on 15 November 2026.
- Living Legacy Grants 2027 for Traditional Building Cultures (Up to EUR 3,000 each)
The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation has opened Living Legacy, a new international grants programme that funds work keeping traditional architecture and building crafts alive. Three grants of up to 3,000 euros each are available in this first call, and applications from individuals and organisations are both welcome. The call runs from 22 September to 1 December 2026.
- Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets 2026 (USD $1,000 plus Book Publication)
The African Poetry Book Fund is open to submissions for the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets, an annual contest that turns a first poetry manuscript by an African writer into a published book. The winner receives USD $1,000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press. The 2026 window runs from 15 September to 1 December 2026.
Questions applicants ask
Who can enter the Evaristo Prize?
African writers who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published. An African writer means someone born in Africa, a national or resident of an African country, or someone whose parents are African.
How many poems do I send?
Exactly ten, no more and no less, in a single document. Each poem should be no longer than 40 lines.
Does a self published book or a chapbook count against me?
No. Self published poetry books, chapbooks and pamphlets are exempt from the full-length book stipulation, and a chapbook in the New Generation African Poets box set leaves you eligible.
Can my poems already be published somewhere?
Yes. Poems may have been previously published or won previous awards.
I write in a language other than English. Can I still enter?
Only poems written in English are considered, but poems in translation are welcome for consideration. If a translated work wins, a percentage of the prize money goes to the translator.
When does the window close?
Submissions run between 1 October and 1 November 2026. The provider publishes no cut-off time, so submit early rather than on the final day.
Can I email my manuscript instead?
No. Entries must go through Submittable. The fund states that it has no capacity to track submissions by email and that manuscripts received that way will not be considered.
Can I edit a poem after submitting?
No. The fund states that alterations cannot be made to poems once entered.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
