The Atkinson, in partnership with The Arts Society Southport invited anyone with links to the Sefton Borough to take part in our fifth Poetry and Creative Writing Competition. This year Inspirations were drawn from the artworks displayed in Taking Centre Stage: Female Artists In The Atkinson’s Collection.
The under-representation of women artists in museum and gallery collections is a well acknowledged and deeply rooted issue within the sector. In response, The Atkinson has committed to address these historical inequities through its collecting and programming strategies. As part of this ongoing institutional reflection, the exhibition spotlights the women artists already held within the collection, celebrating their contributions while also acknowledging the wider absences that continue to shape the narrative of art history
The competition winners are awarded prizes donated by The Arts Society Southport. The winning entries will also be displayed within the exhibition.
You can download and read all of the competition entries here.
Inspirations: Poetry & Creative Writing Competition Winners 2026
Poetry
Winners Joint 1st Place:
Silent Crying by Alexndar Colfer
Willow by Jacqueline Woods
Winners Joint 2nd Place:
Various Flowers by Lois Kennedy (Dedicated in memory to Simon Kennedy)
Soulmate by Helen Patten
Winners Joint 3rd Place:
A Mother’s Touch by Kate Proctor
Across Time And Space by Kathleen Smith
Prose
Winner Joint 1st Place:
The Vortex “Her Own Design” by Janet Gardner
The Tattooed Girl by Julia Clayton
Winner 2nd Place:
The Cigarette Lighter by Carole Wragg
Winner 3rd Place:
That’s Just What You Do by Ian Hendricks
Join us in the Art Gallery on Saturday 31 October 2026 at 11am for a celebration event where all entries are invited to read their submissions aloud surrounded by the artworks that inspired them. Thank you to all who entered and to The Arts Society Southport for their continued partnership and support in celebrating local creativity.
