Winners of the 2026 Guernsey International Poetry Competition have been announced, following another strong year which saw just under 2,000 entries from countries across the world.
The competition is organised by the Guernsey Literary Festival and was judged by internationally acclaimed poet, playwright and performer John Agard, supported by Filter judge Jonathan Edwards.
The competition continues to grow in both scale and international reach, with the highest number of submissions coming from the UK, USA and Australia, alongside entries from countries including India, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and across Europe. This year’s winners reflect that global breadth, with poets from the UK, USA and India recognised alongside local Channel Islands talent.
The overall first prize was awarded to UK poet Nigeen Dara for Instructions for Beginning Again. Second prize went to Surrey-based Jenny Horton for On Seeing Your Baby’s First Scan, with third prize awarded to Julia Deakin from West Yorkshire for Wild Snowdrops.
In the Channel Islands category, Jersey poet Sandra Noel took both first and third place for She Pulls Herself Up by the Roots and Becoming Sunflower, continuing a longstanding connection with the competition having submitted work every year since 2015. Guernsey writer Ric Carter was awarded second place for Favourite Thing Over and Over.
Winning Jersey Poet Sandra Noel said, “I am so delighted to hear that my poem ‘She pulls herself up by the roots’ has won first prize in the Channel Island section for 2026. I love supporting inter-island events and achieving a winning poem has been a dream of mine since I started entering the competition in 2018 when my poem was placed 3rd.
“I love being in Guernsey for the poetry section of the festival every year and always come away feeling inspired by the poets I’ve met, walking the beautiful cliff paths and dipping in the sea along the way. I am very much looking forward to this year’s events and being able to meet the other winners in each category.”
Selected and winning entries will now be brought into everyday spaces across the island, with displays at Guernsey Airport, on the island’s buses, at the ferry terminal and at the Guille-Allès Library.
Among those featured will be Guernsey schoolgirl Immy Crawford’s poem Rocky, about her dog. Reflecting on the younger entrants in his judge’s report, John Agard said he was “heartened by the high-quality range of poems by children,” adding that it “speaks to our futures, with hope.”
John Agard also reflected on both the scale and quality of entries, saying he was “keenly surprised and cheered by the sheer number of poems sent in,” and praising the “high-quality range of poems” across all categories. He also highlighted poetry’s power to connect people and perspectives, describing it as “an opportunity for connection” and a way of stepping into the experiences of others. He noted a strong sense of “collective spirit” in this year’s entries, adding that, in challenging times, poetry can offer a shared sense of possibility.
Looking ahead to the Poems on the Move displays, he added that seeing the poems shared across the island would be “music to my ears,” imagining them “cascading around Guernsey” for all to encounter.
Livia Bluecher, organiser of the competition said: “To have a poet of John Agard’s calibre judge our competition is an honour. In his work he has always shown a particular focus on inspiring young people, and we have seen that reflected in the wide spread of international submissions, particularly from young writers, this year.
“What makes this moment especially exciting is seeing these poems brought to life during the Festival, with the opportunity to hear the winning poets read their work in person. Alongside that, sharing them across the island means more people can encounter poetry in unexpected ways and feel part of it.”
Pictured: John Agard by Sara Roque Peres
