Young poets shine at the 2026 Ōtepoti Youth Poetry Competition

By Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha | Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature | Posted: Thursday Aug 27, 2026

Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature was delighted to support the 2026 Ōtepoti Youth Poetry Competition, conceived and run by poet Samantha Montgomerie, which celebrates the creativity and talent of young poets from across our city.

The competition showed that poetry is thriving among Ōtepoti’s young people, with more than 160 students from Years 5–13 entering this year. Judges David Eggleton, Susan Wardell and Samantha were impressed by the range and quality of the entries, and by the enthusiasm with which young writers embraced the written word.

Thirty-five place-getters were invited to the prize-giving at Dunedin City Library, where 21 of them took to the stage to share their exceptional work. Their engaging poems and delightful presentations were enjoyed by a fantastic turnout of more than 100 whānau, friends, teachers and supporters.

The event was a wonderful celebration of poetry – and a reminder of the exciting literary talent growing in our city. There is something particularly hopeful about so many young people finding their voices through poetry and sharing their ideas about the world around them.

A huge thank you to Samantha for her mahi in making the competition happen, to the judges for generously giving their time and expertise, and to the teachers who encouraged and supported their students. And of course, congratulations to every young poet who took part!

Images with thanks to Jill Bowie.