Competitions

Poetry Competitions including entry information and results

Richard Tipping book launch: Headlines to the Heart

Wednesday 12 November 2025
6:00pm for 7:00pm start

Ern Malley
137 Magill Road, Stepney, SA 5067

Richard Tipping, co-founder of Friendly Street Poets in 1975, is in Adelaide for the 50th Anniversary of FSP and has brought his latest book of poetry, Headlines to the Heart, for his South Australian launch. 

Headlines to the Heart is the poet’s own selection of the most memorable poems from half a century of deeply-felt living. Humorous, erotic, perceptive and full of spoken ideas which stick in the mind, Tipping’s poetry has been widely published and anthologised, including The New Penguin Anthology of Australian Poetry edited by John Kinsella, The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry edited by Phillip Mead and John Tranter, and the New Oxford Book of Australian Verse edited by Les Murray.… Click for more

Schedule of FSP 50th Anniversary events

2025 marks 50 years of operation of Friendly Street Poets. To celebrate this momentous milestone, we will be hosting a series of special events, summarised below. Put them in your calendar and keep an eye out for more details of specific events closer to the time. Everyone is welcome, but some events require pre-booking.

Sunday 26th October 2025
Launch of the New Poets 26 and Single Poet 2025 books.
Effective Living Centre, 26 King William Road, Wayville.
Doors open at 2.00pm for a 2.30pm start.
Click here for the Facebook event and more information.

Friday 7th November 2025
The Poetry Love In
Box Factory, Regent Street South, Adelaide.… Click for more

Winners of New Poets 26 and Single Poet 2025 competitions!

The results of the FSP New Poets 26 and Single Poet 2025 competitions are in!

Congratulations to the winners of New Poets 25 as judged by Avalanche:
John Atkinson for My Solid Heart
Kylie Dinning for Skimming the Seaweed
Matt Gaughwin for Thoughts of Deduska

Congratulations and commiserations to the Commended Poet:
Alex Robertson for The Plains Life

The standard of the submissions was very high. Click here to read the Judge’s Report in full:


I was asked very kindly if I’d judge this year’s crop for the Three Poets publication – of course, always happy to put something back, after all, FS has been a mainstay in poetry and spoken word circles hereabouts.?T

… Click for more

FSP August City Meeting, Open Mic and Announcement of Publication Winners.

Friday, 1st August, 2025
Doors open at 6:00pm for 6:15pm start

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read; free to listen.
Strict 3-minute time limit, including any introductions, explanations and post-scripts.

During the meeting, the winners of the New Poets 26 and Single Poet 2025 competitions will be announced.

You can submit poems read at the Open Mic for consideration in the next Anthology via the form below.

… Click for more

Eastwood/Hills Fellowship of Australian Writers Literary Competitions 2025

Two poetry competitions of interest to FSP members are now open. Although based in NSW, anyone can enter. See below for guidelines and links.

EASTWOOD/HILLS FELLOWSHIP OF AUSTRALIAN WRITERS 
LITERARY COMPETITION 2025

Closing Date: 15th May, 2025

 All categories – Open Theme

Category 1: Flash Fiction
Max 500 words. First Prize $150, Second Prize $50

Category 2: Philippa Holland Award for Poetry 
Includes all forms of poetry except Bush Poetry (see separate Boree Log competition below)
Max 80 lines per poem. First Prize $150, Second Prize $50

Category 3: Alan Russell Award for Memoir
Max 1,500 words. First Prize $150, Second Prize $50

Category 4: Short Story.… Click for more

New Poets 25 launch

Wednesday, 20 November, 2024

Ern Malley
137 Magill Road, Stepney, SA 5069

Pre drinks at 6.00pm
Launch starts at 6.45pm

Come and join the winners of the New Poets 25 competition for the launch of their book with new collections from
Vicky Ireland: Orange Oceans
Robbie Lennard: Shermika
phil saunders: Foundlings not Lost

Copies of the book will be available on the night.

Light refreshments and alcohol available.

The event will be MCd by Nigel Ford, Convenor of Friendly Street Poets.

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