UK LGBT+ History Month has officially announced the return of its popular Poetry Competitions for 2026, inviting both young people and adults across the UK to explore the theme of Science and Innovation through creative writing.
Run by Schools OUT, the UK’s longest-running LGBT+ education charity, the competitions aim to encourage reflection on LGBT+ lives, history, and contributions within science, technology, and innovation — past and present.
Schools OUT has been educating against prejudice and promoting LGBT+ inclusion since 1974 and founded UK LGBT+ History Month in 2004, with the first celebrations held in February 2005.
Schools Poetry Competition
The schools competition is open to students in Key Stages 2 to 5, with entries welcomed from schools, colleges, and youth groups. Pupils are invited to submit a short poem inspired by the 2026 theme, exploring LGBT+ history, visibility, or contemporary experiences connected to science and innovation.
Three winners will be selected across the following age categories:
- Age 7–11 (Key Stage 2)
- Age 11–16 (Key Stages 3 & 4)
- Age 16–19 (Key Stage 5)
Each category winner will receive a £100 Love to Shop gift voucher and a book — either What Does LGBT+ Mean? or Have Pride. Winning poems will also be published on the Schools OUT website and shared via social media channels.
Open Poetry Competition for Adults
Alongside the schools competition, Schools OUT is also running an open poetry competition for adult writers, following the success of previous years. Entries are welcomed from both unpublished and previously published poets.
Adult entries should reflect the 2026 UK LGBT+ History Month theme, which will be formally announced in November 2025. Two winners will be selected — one unpublished and one published writer — with each receiving a £100 Love to Shop gift voucher and publication on the Schools OUT website. Selected poems may also be included in a future anthology.
How to Enter
Both competitions are free to enter. Submissions will open at 9am on 1 February 2026 and close at 5pm on 6 March 2026. Entries must be submitted using the online form, which will be available on the Schools OUT website from 1 February.
Poems must be original works, written primarily in English, and must not exceed 400 words or 30 lines. All entries must be created without any input from AI. Submissions should be uploaded as a PDF or Word document, with transcription permitted where poems were originally handwritten or spoken.
Full competition rules and guidelines will be available alongside the entry form.
Further details, including previous winners, can be found via the Schools OUT website.
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