The grant supports the outreach programme for the Poetry Book Society’s Next Generation Poets project, a once-in-a-decade initiative celebrating 20 outstanding poets whose work is shaping the future of contemporary poetry.

Throughout 2027, the funding will help deliver performances, mentoring opportunities and educational resources designed to inspire young people to read, write and enjoy poetry.

Activities supported by the grant include performances by Next Generation Poets at Whitley Bay High School, reaching around 200 students, and at the Poetry By Heart Grand Finale at Shakespeare’s Globe, where more than 900 pupils will hear poets perform. A showcase with the National Poetry Centre’s Young Poet Laureates programme in Leeds will also introduce aspiring writers to established poets, with classroom resources shared with around 1,000 schools.

Tower Poetry’s funding will also support mentoring for two aspiring poets aged 16–18 through The Writing Squad, culminating in a showcase at Manchester Poetry Library, and enable young critics from the Poetry Society’s Young Poets Network to review the Next Generation Poets’ collections online.

Alongside these activities, the grant will fund the creation of new Key Stage 4+ teaching resources, helping teachers introduce contemporary poetry in classrooms across the UK. Through partnerships with Poetry By Heart and the National Poetry Centre, the resources are expected to reach more than 3,000 schools.

Dr Anna Nickerson, Director of Tower Poetry and Christopher Tower Student and Tutor in Poetry in the English Language at Christ Church, said: ‘The Next Generation Poets project has launched the careers of many of the most accomplished poets writing in English today. We are delighted to be working with our partners at the Poetry Book Society to bring excellent poetry education to those young people who will be the next generation of Next Generation Poets.’

The Next Generation Poets project is run by the Poetry Book Society and has championed emerging poets since 1994. Previous selections have included many of the UK’s best-known contemporary poets, and the latest cohort continues that tradition by showcasing 20 exceptional voices from across the UK and Ireland.