The Eastport Arts Center Prize for Poetry, an open contest, will run April 1-June 30. Submissions of original and unpublished poems are welcomed by youth and adult writers on two general themes: ‘The Sea’ and ‘The Woods.’ Winners will be announced on August 26; winning selections will be published in a hard copy magazine format, as well as online via the Arts Center’s website. $1000 in prizes plus other perks will be awarded for the selected poems.

The contest, inspired and sponsored by Charles “Chick” Moore, hopes to bring people together through the power of poetry, to help strengthen bonds within our communities, and to provide an outlet to those poets who may lack an arena to share their creative output.

After practicing law for 50 years, Moore retired in May of 2022 and began to devote his time to undertaking new non-profit projects, including the sponsorship of this contest, meant to encourage and support creativity and community. Chick’s parents met in Eastport, Maine where his mother worked as a schoolteacher and his father, a Navy Seabee, was stationed during World War II. This connection to Downeast Maine has inspired a lifelong attachment to the area, where he still spends summers with his family enjoying the region.

Detailed submission guidelines, contest rules and prize information may be found at https://www.eac-prize-for-poetry.org.