Jury Winners of the Poetry Competition ‘Utrecht: Your Place, Your Words’ Announced
With “Utrecht: Your Place, Your Words,” we invited everyone to reflect on a place in the Province of Utrecht that inspires a sense of belonging and to write about it in a poem. A total of 151 written and spoken-word poems were submitted. The jury has selected the winners in each age category (18 years and younger, and over 18). Now, we invite the public to have their say as well.
The jury was impressed by the diversity of the entries and appreciated the varied ways in which participants approached the theme and gave it form. The assessment focused on criteria including originality, stylistic quality, formal and poetic techniques, and the portrayal of a place in the province of Utrecht. In both age categories, two poems stood out, each due to their distinctive qualities across various assessment criteria. The jury therefore decided to award the first prize in both categories jointly.
The Jury
The jury consists of Gandolfo Cascio (chair), Kila van der Starre, Iris Brunia, Paul Feld, Wafa Alawi, and Hanneke van Eijken. Read more about the jurymembers (in Dutch).
The jury would also like to commend the following poems for their rich imagery and powerful message:
- No movement
- Stadsleven
- Herman, 47
- Topography of a Borrowed Presence
- Fiets/ Rower.
Public Vote: Choose a Winner
But the competition is not over yet! In each age category, a public winner will be selected through an open vote. Everyone can vote for their favourite poem starting on Thursday, 25 June at 10:00 CET.
You can read all poems on the Poetry Map. Voting is possible via the link beneath each poem on the map or through this form: Poetry Competition Voting Form. Voting closes on 16 July 2026 at 10:00 CET.
Prizes and Publicity
The jury winners will each receive a prize during the Utrecht University Lustrum Festival on 12 September 2026. The public’s choice winners will also receive a prize.
In the autumn, several poems will be displayed and showcased at locations throughout the city and region. Details about these exhibitions will be announced on the “Poetry on the street and at home” webpage.
We would like to thank everyone who participated in the competition and shared their perspective on the Province of Utrecht and the meaning of home.
About This Initiative
In 2026, Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht celebrate their 390th anniversary. Under the motto “Connect. Create Change.”, collaboration with one another, the city, and the region takes centre stage. “Utrecht: Your Place, Your Words” is part of the project “Poetry on the street and at home”, an interdisciplinary initiative that creates space for experiences of identity, belonging, and living together, expressed through poetry or spoken word. Words connect us and give us the power to question the present, remember the past, and imagine even better ways of living together in the future. The initiative has been made possible in part through the support of Institutions for Open Societies and the support of project initiators Kila van der Starre and Hanneke van Eijken.