Description
PFGi, in partnership with Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, has announced the launch of the inaugural PFGi Poetry Award 2026. This new poetry bursary and commission invites poets to explore the relationship between engineering, creativity and language.
Facilitated by Business to Arts, this new award offers a combined bursary and commission to support a poet living on the island of Ireland in the development of new work. The award includes a €5,000 bursary to support creative time, a €2,000 commission fee to the poet and €1,500 allocated to programme administration and delivery by Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann.
The award reflects a shared belief that engineering and poetry, while often viewed as distinct disciplines, are both grounded in imagination, structure, and the shaping of ideas into form. Through this initiative, PFGi and Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann aim to create space for dialogue between disciplines, inviting a poet to respond to themes that connect technical precision with human experience.
Bursary Details
This initiative offers a combined bursary and commission to support a poet living on the island of Ireland to generate a new original work in response to a thematic brief.
The total value of the award to the poet is €7,000, comprising:
- €5,000 bursary (to support time and creative development)
- €2,000 commission fee (for the creation of a new poem)
A further €1,500 will be provided by PFGi for programme administration and delivery to Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann.
The selected poet will be announced in the Summer 2026, with the commissioned work delivered later in the year.
This inaugural award marks the beginning of a new partnership, with the potential to develop further in future years.
All eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel.
Context and Purpose
Engineering and the arts are often understood as separate disciplines, yet both rely on imagination, structure, and the shaping of ideas into form. This bursary is grounded in that shared space.
The partnership reflects:
- PFGi’s interest in supporting artistic practice and building a cultural dimension to its identity
- Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann commitment to supporting poets and connecting poetry with wider audiences
The commissioned poem will form a central outcome of the award and will be shared across public and organisational contexts.
About the Opportunity
The award is designed to provide:
- time and financial support to focus on creative work
- an opportunity to develop a new commissioned poem
- visibility through a national partnership and public announcement
The selected poet may also have the opportunity to engage with PFGi (e.g. site visit, conversations, contextual research), where relevant to their process.
The Commission
The selected poet will be invited to create a new original poem.
The commission is intentionally open in form and interpretation. However, it may be helpful to consider themes such as:
- the relationship between engineering and imagination
- precision, structure, and the shaping of ideas
- the human and emotional dimensions of technical work
- the built environment, systems, or unseen processes
The aim is not to prescribe subject matter, but to invite a thoughtful and original response to these ideas.
Use of the Commissioned Work
The commissioned poem will be shared across a range of contexts, including public-facing communications, digital platforms, events and presentations, organisational materials within PFGi and Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann.
The poet will retain copyright in the work.
To apply:
Please upload individual PDFs with each of the following documents.
- A brief expression of interest responding to the opportunity and how this bursary will impact your practice (max 500 words)
- A brief outline of how you might approach this commission (max 500 words)
- A short biography (max 100 words)
- your CV(2 pages maximum)
- 2 references related to your writing career*
- 3-5 Samples of your published work
*References can include those from organisations or editors who have commissioned work, published work, or curated work, or who have been a colleague or employer on a creative writing programme, residency etc.
Criteria for selection
- Suitability of candidate for the bursary (25/100)
- Quality and originality of previous work (25/100)
- Ability and experience to realise commission and best capitalise on bursary (25/100)
- Initial conceptualisation of commission (25/100)
Summary of key dates
Call for applications: 5 June 2026 at 1:00pm
Closing date for applications: 26 June at 5.00pm
Applicants informed of outcome: 13th July
Eligibility
Open to poets living on the island of Ireland.
Applicants must be actively engaged in a poetry practice.
Applications are only accepted via our online form within the key dates.
A maximum of one application will be accepted from any one individual.
If you have any queries in relation to this oppurtunity please direct them to Poetry Ireland’s Director, Claire Power at director@poetryireland.ie