05/06/2026
𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: Carmen Ziolkowski Poetry Prize returns for fifth year in Sarnia
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The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts is once again inviting poets to submit their work for the fifth annual Carmen Ziolkowski Poetry Prize, a competition celebrating heartfelt, nature-based, and hopeful writing.
Submissions are open until May 15, 2026.
With support from the Ziolkowski family, the contest offers a first-place prize of $500, followed by $250 for second place and $100 for third. Additional Honourable Mentions will also be awarded. Winning entries will be featured in a special issue of the Lawrence House’s Uproar Literary Blog.
The prize honours Carmen Ziolkowski, a longtime member of Sarnia-Lambton’s writing community. Born near Naples, Italy in 1924, she immigrated to Canada in 1955. Ziolkowski studied journalism at Port Huron Junior College and later taught creative writing at Lambton College. She authored several poetry collections, including Roses Bloom at Dusk, World of Dreams, and The Moon Before the Sun. She died in 2018 at the age of 94.
This year’s judging panel includes Ryan Gibbs, a Lambton College communications professor with international publishing credits; Rhonda Melanson, a retired teacher and published poet; and Lois Nantais, a poet and writer known for her work rooted in rural life and nature. Judging will be conducted blindly.
An event featuring spoken word performances to honour Ziolkowski and past winners is planned for August 7.
Entry fees are $10 for up to three poems, or $5 for members of the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts. Those interested in becoming members can do so through the organization’s website.
The competition continues to build on Ziolkowski’s legacy, encouraging writers to reflect the same sense of warmth, creativity, and connection to nature that defined her work.
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Author: Robynne Hay
Read More: https://linktr.ee/journalnetwork
