The Montreal International Poetry Prize (also known as The Montreal Prize) is a biennial poetry competition based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was launched in April 2011 during National Poetry Month.
Montreal Prize Editorial Boards: The competition invites online submissions of poems in English from anywhere in the world, and is adjudicated by a board of 10 international editors, which changes every competition.
The 2015 competition included the following editors: Gabeba Baderoon, Kate Clanchy, Carolyn Forche, Amanda Jernigan, Anthony Lawrence, Niyi Osundare, Jennifer Rahim, K. Satchidanandan, Michael Schmidt and Bruce Taylor.
The 2013 competition included the following editors: Mary Dalton, Keki Daruwalla, Kwame Dawes, Kendel Hippolyte, Medbh McGuckian, Sean O'Brien, Michael Harris, Robyn Sarah, Nicolette Stasko and Chase Twichell.
The 2011 competition included Valerie Bloom (Jamaica and England), Stephanie Bolster (Canada), Frank Chipasula (Malawi and USA), Fred D'Aguiar (Guyana and England), Michael Harris (Canada), John Kinsella (Australia), Sinéad Morrissey (Northern Ireland), Odia Ofeimun (Nigeria), Eric Ormsby (England), Anand Thakore (India). In 2011 the Prize Judge was former British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.
Montreal Prize Judges: The Montreal Prize editorial board acts as the annual prize jury. But the winner is selected by a single judge. The 2011 Prize Judge was Andrew Motion. In 2013, it was Don Paterson and in 2015, it was Eavan Boland.
Montreal Prize Winners: In 2011, the winner was Mark Tredinnick. In 2013, it was Mia Anderson. And in 2015, it was Eva H.D.
The $20,000 (CAD) prize is thought to be the world's largest monetary prize for a single poem.
In addition to the winning poem, the Montreal Prize publishes, with Véhicule Press, the top 50 poems in a printed "Global Poetry Anthology". In 2011 and 2013 the Montreal Prize produced an electronic longlist anthology. In 2015 the Montreal Prize discontinued the longlist anthology.