The City of Derby in England has a rich and colourful historic and literary heritage.  You only have to visit our webpage entitled Derby if you wish to confirm this.  Our City of a Thousand Dreams project seeks to draw attention to this unique heritage, and to further enhance the 21st century literary reputation of this city by attempting to create a very special world record.  That is to say, this website seeks to help make Derby the city about which more poems have been written than any other city in the world, and hence earn the title the City of a Thousand Dreams.  All entries for this project will be published permanently on this website.

Poems entered into the project by 28th September 2007 will be considered by Adrian Buckner for publication in a small volume of poetry in late 2007.

Poems entered after this date will not be judged for publication but will still be placed, free of charge, on this website, in order for us to achieve our ultimate aim of 1000 poems written about the City of Derby.

Rules are listed below.

1.     The length of the poem should be no more than 40 lines, and there should be some connection in its theme to the City of Derby.

2.     The title of each poem is unrestricted, but it must be original work and all current publishing rights should be held by the entrant.  Entries are eligible from all age groups and nationalities.  The maximum number of entries per entrant is three.

3.     Submissions must be made either on plain, white A4 paper, or online via email to info@thecityofderbywritingcompetition.org.uk .

4.     A simple font should be used, and no use made of pictures, photographs or any other visual material.

5.     Poems must be written in English, and there should be no identifying marks, e.g., name or address, on the submitted work.

6.     Entries should be submitted by post using the address as given below or should be sent online as described on the same page.

8.     Entries cannot be returned – please keep a copy of your work.

12.  All submissions to the City of a Thousand Dreams project are guaranteed to be placed on this website.   This is, however, subject to the following condition:- as our website is regularly visited by young people, any entries containing explicitly adult themes or language will be disqualified.  In addition, any entries which could be considered abusive or offensive to any living person or group of people will also be considered ineligible.

13.  Worldwide copyright for submitted poems remains with the author.

14.  The City of Derby Poetry Competition reserves the unrestricted right to publish all entries on this website.

15.  Entries to the City of a Thousand Dreams project are entirely separate from those made to our annual writing competition (The City of Derby Short Story and Poetry Competition).

Prague....the city of a thousand spires

Kyoto....the city of a thousand shrines

Aix-en-Provence....the city of a thousand fountains

Derby....the city of a thousand dreams

The City of Derby Short Story and Poetry Competition

PO Pox 7065

Derby DE1 OAD

Telephone +44 (0)1332 725362