Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center’s
Amanda Gorman Future Voices Poetry Prize
Deadline: June 1, 2023



Applications are now open for the second annual Amanda Gorman Future Voices Poetry Prize. The Prize is named for Amanda Gorman, the youngest presidential inaugural poet in American history and a Beyond Baroque alumna. As a teenager, Amanda began her development as a poet while participating in the Beyond Baroque Student Poets’ Program, and later credited Beyond Baroque as the place “where a young poet found the love of her life.” In order to further her legacy and support student poets of color in their development, Beyond Baroque has established the Amanda Gorman Future Voices Poetry Prize, which will provide a total of $10,000 in scholarship and prize money in its second year.

Students can apply for one of two tracks. The scholarship award is open to college-bound student poets of color currently enrolled in the 12th grade in a California High School. Three poets will be awarded $3,000 each in scholarship money. Scholarships will be awarded based on the quality of the poems submitted, and on the ways in which applicants’ essays and materials speak to Amanda’s commitment to social change through poetry.

The poetry contest track is open to student poets of color currently enrolled in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade in a California High School. First, second, and third place awards will be given, as will an honorable mention. Each comes with a cash prize. Winners of the poetry contest track will be selected based on the quality of the poems submitted. All applicants must currently live in California. DEADLINE: June 1, 2023

PRIZES GIVEN:

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD:

  • Open to college-bound poets who are currently in the 12th grade and self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
  • Must be able to provide proof of acceptance to a college or university, and must intend to enroll in Fall 2023. (Students accepted to community colleges are eligible to apply).
  • Must currently live in California.
  • Three scholarship winners will receive $3,000 each

  • APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD


    POETRY CONTEST:

  • Open to poets currently in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, and who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
  • Must currently live in California.
  • Winners of the Poetry Contest will receive the following cash prizes:
    • 1st place   $500
      2nd place   $250
      3rd place   $150
      Honorable mention   $50
    APPLY FOR THE POETRY CONTEST


    APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR ALL TRACKS
  • All applications must be submitted by the June 1, 2023 deadline.
  • Poems must be submitted as Word document attachment, 12 point font, Times New Roman or Arial.
  • Please follow the instructions carefully.
  • Entrants may submit between 1-3 poems, 1 page per poem and poems must be 35 lines or less.

  • ADDITIONALLY:
  • All entries must be in English, single-spaced, typed, unpublished, original, and not scheduled for publication before July 2023.
  • All poems are presented anonymously to the judges.
  • There is no entry fee.
  • All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.
  • Scholarship recipients and Poetry Contest winners will be required to read their poems at a live or virtual event celebrating the winners.
  • Winners will be announced by August 5, 2023