Poetry group runs national award
A small regional poetry group with a strong Peninsula membership is organising a national poetry competition.
Central Coast Poets president Ms Shirley Hotchkiss of Umina said the group, which had organised the biennial Henry Kendall Poetry Competition since 1989, had five members from the Peninsula.
Ms Hotchkiss said the competition attracted a "very high standard" of writing and helped build the cultural profile of the Central Coast.
"As a recent member of this poetry group, I've been impressed by the sustained commitment to promote and encourage excellence in poetry through this competition and the subsequent anthology," Ms Hotchkiss said.
"It provides a rare opportunity for both recognised and budding poets to have their work published.
"Organising these activities stretches us.
"It's an extension of the work we do in our monthly meetings where we workshop members' poems."
Ms Hotchkiss said the Henry Kendall Poetry Award was now established as an important nation-wide poetry event, attracting entries from many leading and less experienced Australian poets.
Competition convenor Ms Andrea Cook said: "We are excited to have our own website this year.
"We hope this will ease our workload, as well as extend the range and quality of competition entries.
"For example, people can find out who the previous competition winners and judges were."
Ms Cook said that the competition judge this time is Dr Michael Sharkey, a contemporary poet whose work is nationally renowned.
"The competition offers a total of $800 in prize money," Ms Cook said.
Details and an entry form are available at www.centralcoastpoets.com.au or from PO Box 585, Woy Woy 2256."
Press release, 14 Nov 2009
Shirley Hotchkiss, Central Coast Poets