Calling all young poets – Independent Schools Victoria’s Student Poetry Competition is back for 2026 and young people from across Victoria are invited to express themselves in our annual celebration of poetic creativity.
Students can enter a written poem or make a video of themselves speaking or performing their words, bringing energy and conviction to their work.
Poets can choose their own topic or explore our optional theme of Fruit. This year’s theme invites young poets to explore language through colour, texture, taste, memory and imagination, one juicy word at a time!
Find out more about this year’s theme, Fruit.
This year, we’re also introducing a new category: Ekphrastic Poetry. This form invites students to respond to a visual artwork or object, using it as a starting point for their poems. It encourages close observation and thoughtful interpretation, as students translate what they see into language. Rather than simply describing the artwork, students might imagine the story behind it, give voice to a subject or object, or explore the emotions, memories or ideas it suggests. Ekphrastic poetry offers a creative way to connect visual art and writing, supporting imagination, reflection and expressive language.
Explore our curated collection of fruit-inspired artworks and let one spark your ekphrastic poem.
Looking to enter our performance poetry category? You can find out more in this supporting article for educators, parents and aspiring performance poets.
ISV’s Student Poetry Competition is open to all Victorian primary and secondary students, regardless of school. Prizes will be awarded to winners by a panel of expert judges, and winning poems will be published online.
Winners will be announced in Term 4.
- Foundation–Year 2
- Years 3–4
- Years 5–6
- Years 7–8
- Years 9–10
- Years 11–12
We welcome poems of all styles entered as:
- written poems
- performance poems
- ekphrastic poems.
60 lines.
Friday 28 August 2026.
Students may choose to use AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Copilot or similar platforms) as part of their writing process. These tools can be helpful for brainstorming ideas, exploring poetic forms or getting started.
However, this competition is centred on student voice and creative expression. Poems that come directly from a student’s own thinking and experiences are often more engaging, meaningful and distinctive. While AI can assist with generating ideas, it cannot replicate personal perspective, emotion or lived experience.
Students are welcome to use AI in different ways, including drafting or editing support. When submitting their poem, they will be asked to indicate how AI was used: whether not at all, for ideas, or in the writing process. This information is used to better understand how students are engaging with AI and will not affect eligibility.
Students can submit their written poems and performance poems using our submission form.
Contact us at artslearningfestival@is.vic.edu.au, or you can call ISV on (03) 9825 7200.
You can also find our Terms and Conditions here.
