Annette is delighted to be on the shortlist for the Basil Bunting Prize, all the more as she is a great admirer of Bunting’s work. ( Here is a link to her Academic Paper “Hatmaker” in POST, published by the Irish Centre for Poetry Studies. ) . She will be heading to Newcastle where the Award Ceremony will be part of the Newcastle Poetry Festival. The shortlist can be viewed here.
Professor Linda Anderson, NCLA Director has this to say about the prize
“It’s a great privilege to be taking over the running of the Basil Bunting Poetry Award from John Halliday who has done a wonderful job of establishing the award as one of the most important in the poetry calendar, in a field which can feel crowded with awards. We have timed the award so that the prize-giving ceremony will coincide with our major international poetry festival in March, the culmination of a project in relation to the Bloodaxe Archive. This seems fitting given the role Bloodaxe Books has had in keeping Bunting’s work and reputation alive. Basil Bunting had a particular relationship with Newcastle University, having been both Northern Arts Literary Fellow and Visiting Professor here, and we’re proud of the deep roots Basil Bunting established for poetry in our region. The flourishing of poetry and its connection with the region through poets living, writing and visiting here is our ongoing aim. This award contributes to that aim in a very important way.”
(NCLA website)