BOLD: Queer Poetry Anthology

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Inkandescent celebrate Pride 2027 with the publication of their Bold Queer Poetry Anthology featuring poets including
TS Eliot Prize winner Joelle Taylor, Polari Prize winner Andrew McMillan and Hawthornden Prize winner John McCullough, with a foreword by Jackie Kay CBE; it is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
 

The book was conceived by Nathan Evans and Justin David following the success of their fiction anthology, Mainstream. It will feature forty new poems from the poets who have appeared at Bold Queer Poetry Soirée, each sitting alongside a performance photograph by Justin; it will also include ten poems by Queer Poets Future—emerging writers selected from open submission—alongside ten poems by Queer Poets Past—legacy writers chosen by editor Nathan.

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Inkandescent will host a soirée at London’s Southbank Centre in June 2027 to launch the book, before taking the show on tour to cities including Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham; there will be accompanying workshops for local poets, delivered with partners including the National Centre for Writing and Arvon.

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Participating poets are Adriann Ramirez, Andreena Leeanne, Andrew McMillan, Autumn Sharkey, Ash Kotak, Barney Ashton-Bullock, Ellen McAteer, Erica Gillingham, Ernesto Sarezale, James McDermott, Jessica Grynfeld, Joelle Taylor, John McCullough, Julia Bell, Karen McLeod, Kat Dixon, Keith Jarrett, Kostya Tsolakis, Lalah-Simone Springer, Lee Campbell, lisa luxx, Livia Kojo Alour, Maheni K Arthur, Marianne Habeshaw, Olive Franklin, Ollie Charles, Peter Daniels, Peter Scalpello, Piero Toto, Richard Scott, Rick Dove, Rosie Garland, S-Bars, Scout Parks, Serge Neptune, Simon Maddrell, Shiri Shah, Sophia Blackwell, Stanley Iyanu and Tanaka Mishi; additional photos are by Ania Tomaszewska-Nelson. 

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​Submission Guidelines

Are you a queer poet? Are you based in the UK?

Are you yet to have your first collection published?

Then send us a poem.

Poems must be unpublished and a maximum of thirty lines. Selected poets will receive payment and be published in the Bold Queer Poetry Anthology, alongside work from poets including Joelle Taylor, Andrew McMillan, Keith Jarrett, John McCullough, Rosie Garland, Richard Scott. The book will have a foreword by Jackie Kay and will launch at Southbank Centre in June 2027; it is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Make your submission below as a word document or pdf containing your poem, a fifty-word biography and any social handles by 11.59pm on 1st September 2026.​​​​​​​