Bridport Prize



The Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition was founded in 1973 and has steadily grown in stature and prestige. Today many thousands of entries are received from over 80 countries. In many cases a win in the Bridport Prize has led to further successes and helped to launch new writers. Kate Atkinson (a short story winner in 1990) said that it was very important, confirming that she had found her "voice". Her short story went on to become the first chapter of her novel, "Behind the Scenes at the Museum", winner of the 1995 Whitbread Book of the Year. She returned to judge the Short Story section in 2001.

Other noteworthy names include Helen Dunmore (also a 1990 winner) whose "Spell of Winter" won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 1996; Tobias Hill, a winner in both categories (poetry 1994, short story 1996), Tessa Biddington, a winner in 2000, who made it onto the short list for The Forward Prize and gained an agent for her forthcoming novel, Linda Leatherbarrow a winner in 2001 who has since appeared in many publications, plus many others.

The prize money and entry fees have risen over the years as well and now the first prize for poems and short stories is £5,000, second prize £1,000 and third prize £500. An additional 10 supplementary prizes (for each category) of £50 each are awarded. The new category of Flash Fiction has a first prize of £1000, second prize £500 and third £250 as well as 3 supplementary prizes of £25.The entry fee for the year 2011 is £5 per flash, £6 per poem and £7 per story. The top four poems are entered for the Forward Prize for Poetry (Best Single Poem), an award not open to the general public. The top 13 stories (British citizens only) are submitted to the National Short Story Prize.

The Bridport Prize is a fund raiser for the Bridport Arts Centre

Bridport Arts Centre
The Bridport Arts Centre is based in the heart of the West Dorset market town of Bridport. It has a 200-seat theatre, three exhibition spaces plus a café and bar. The Bridport Arts Centre's annual festival has talks, readings, discussions and performances in venues around the town.

Short Story
Each year links to its corresponding "[year] in literature" article:
 * 2009: Jenny Clarkson, "Something"
 * 2008: Elaine Chiew, "Face"
 * 2007: Graham Mort, "The Prince"
 * 2006: Elizabeth Dalton, "Rue de Vaugirard"
 * 2005: Clare Scurfield, "Taking Off"
 * 2004: Dorene O'Brien, "#12 Dagwood on Rye"
 * 2003: Jonathan Haylett, "The Crossing"
 * 2002: Lynsey White, "Amore"
 * 2001: Chris Hill, "The Runner"
 * 2000: Victoria Worsley, "Giddy, Stick and the Beach Hut"

Poetry
Each year links to its corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
 * 2010 in poetry: Esther Morgan, "This Morning"
 * 2009: Dore Kiesselbach, "Non-invasive"
 * 2008: Anne Stewart, "Still Water, Orange, Apple, Tea"
 * 2007: Christopher Buehlman, "Wanton"
 * 2006: Anthony Snider, "Panegyric"
 * 2005: Carole Bromley, "The Lovers"
 * 2004: William Hampton, "Encountering my first untouchables"
 * 2003: Sheenagh Pugh, "Chocolate from the Famine Museum"
 * 2002: Christopher James, "Walking Southward on O'Connell Street"
 * 2001: Rowland Molony, "The Dying and the LIght"
 * 2000: Linda Rogers, "Snail Love with Opera"