A specially engraved crystal vase from Torrington-based Dartington Crystal will be awarded for the best poem from a Devon-based poet. There is no separate entry fee for this category - all qualifying Devon-based poems that have not been placed in any of the main categories will automatically be considered. You can see a larger picture of the 2008 vase here - the 2010 version will be slightly different.

Tick-box critiques: new charges

This year for the first time we are charging for our famous tick-box critiques - £6 per critique. No, it's not because we think all poets are rich. It's because of our success: you've been entering more and more poems over the last seven years of the competition. Last year we read over 2000 poems, and provided tick-boxes for over two-thirds of these.

Unfortunately with the staffing and other resources we have, we can no longer provide tick-box critiques as a free service. The Plough Arts Centre struggles for funding every year, and this year is no exception. This charge is our response to our circumstances. We hope you understand.  

You're never far from a chicken down here in Devon, and the Plough Prize is supporting Chicken Out, the campaign to improve welfare standards for Britian's broiler birds. Please help by signing up to the campaign (click the banner below for more info), and insisting on free range chicken in the supermarket, restaurant and fast food outlet.