For the first time, an outstanding performance of a poem will be celebrated with a dedicated award as part of the Forward prizes for poetry. The shortlists for the 2023 prizes, announced today, feature categories for the best collection, debut collection and single written poem along with the new award for best performed poem.

“The performance category is a much-needed addition to the literary prize,” poet and chair of judges for the best single poems panel Joelle Taylor told the Guardian. “Historically, spoken word artists have been ignored by the poetry establishment, and this prize means that is no longer possible. It signals that spoken word and performed poetry is as valuable, dynamic and exploratory as published works.”

The winner of the inaugural performance prize will receive £1,000. The shortlisted entrants include TS Eliot and Ondaatje prize winner Roger Robinson for his performance of The City Kids See the Sea and Bohdan Piasecki for Almost Certainly, which incorporates gentle guitar music through a poem that narrates an explosion. Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe was shortlisted for And our eyes are on Europe, a poetic response to James Joyce’s Ulysses. The poetry film sees Zak/Eipe reciting in a sunlit room and walking a quiet city street.