The annual Aberystwyth Poetry and Literature Festival will be held in the town from 8-10 May, and organiser and Bookshop by the Sea owner Freya Blyth is seeking out young talent.

There are two poetry competitions held in conjunction with the festival, one for secondary school pupils and one for students. Both are to be on the same theme, Connections, which resonates with this year’s festival theme of how art, music and poetry are interconnected.

Freya, a poet and writer herself is excited to read the poems entered, ‘feel free to interpret the theme in any way you like – you might like to show how poetry affects the world, how everything intertwines or belongs together, but really be guided by what inspires you,’ she added.

Book token prizes to the value of £70 are up for grabs and the best school pupils’ entries will be displayed in the shop whilst those by students will be posted on the festival’s social media @aberystwythpoetryfestival

The poems can be in English or Welsh and not over 50 lines in length. The closing date is 1st of May and entries sent as docx, pdf, or rtf attachments to [email protected] or delivered to The Bookshop by the Sea in Market Street.

Freya says “illustrations together with poems are very welcome”.

Competitors are asked to include ‘Poetry Competition’ in the subject line of email, include a pseudonym on the sheet with the poem, and include their full name, age and school or college in the covering email.

Aberystwyth Poetry and Literature Festival has a full programme of performances by amazing poets, the confirmed line up can be seen on the festival’s website: aberystwythpoetryfestival.co.uk

The three-day event promises to be a wonderful occasion with performers of international standing. More details to follow in forthcoming editions of the Cambrian News.