The Bash Amuneni Prize for Performance Poetry has officially opened entries for its 2025 edition, calling poets and spoken word artists to step forward with their voices under the theme “Echoes of Now, Voices Building Tomorrow.”
The prize, valued at £150, continues its mission of celebrating the living pulse of spoken word in Nigeria. Anchored in the oral traditions of self-expression, the prize has become a platform for amplifying diverse voices. Last year’s edition drew more than 120 entries, and organizers are aiming to build an even larger chorus this year.
The prize is the visionary poet Bash Amuneni’s way of giving back to poetry, creating another platform that can serve as a launching pad for young and emerging poets. It runs in partnership with Cure (Creative Cultural Revival), Nasara Creative, and True My Voice. The initiative invites emerging and established performers alike to bring their passion and truth to the stage, shaping echoes of the present into the ‘architecture of tomorrow’.
Submissions open on September 1 and will run until September 30, 2025. Participants are required to create a one-minute performance video responding to the theme, post it on their social media platforms, and tag @Bash_Amuneni and @BashPoetryPrize.
Best of luck to all applicants!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
