About

The Woodson Art Museum joins the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets for the fourth year of the ekphrastic poetry competition. Wisconsin high school students are invited to participate by writing poems inspired by artwork images from the Museum’s permanent collection. Entries are accepted from October 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026. Submissions must be received before 11:59 pm on January 15, 2026 to qualify.

The Museum will hold a reception for the winning poets, their families, and educators on Saturday, April 11, 2026, where students will have the opportunity to read their poems aloud. After the reception, willing poems and corresponding artworks will be displayed in the Museum to celebrate National Poetry Month.

Cash prizes:

1^st place $75

2^nd place $50

3^rd place $25

Submission guidelines

Students may enter ONE original ekphrastic poem based on one of the contest artworks for the year. Use of generative AI is not permitted.

Maximum length: 24 lines (which includes stanza breaks, but not the title). We cannot consider longer poems, multiple entries or collaborative poems.

Line length: 60-character limit, including spaces and indents.

Students need to be currently attending high school in Wisconsin.

To Submit:

Please complete this Google form.

Winners will be notified via email and posted at: wfop.org/contests-results.