The 2026 49th Parallel Award for Poetry
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Please read guidelines before submitting:
Bellingham Review's annual writing contests are open from February 1st to March 15th.
$1,000 first-place prizes and $500 second-place prizes will be awarded in poetry (49th Parallel Award), fiction (Tobias Wolff Award), and creative nonfiction (Annie Dillard Award).
Through Submittable, please submit 1-3 poems. All entries will be considered for publication in the journal.
$15 entry fee.
Important notes:
* The author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Manuscripts including identifying information will be disqualified.
* We only consider previously unpublished work.
* Simultaneous submissions are encouraged; please let us know if you work has been accepted elsewhere by withdrawing your submission.
Our guest judge for 2026 is Anastacia-Reneé
Anastacia-Reneé is an award-winning writer, educator, interdisciplinary artist, TEDx speaker, playwright, and podcaster. She is the author of the debut fiction-hybrid book, Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere, and two books of poetry, Side Notes from the Archivist and (v.). Her mixed media art has been exhibited at the Frye Art Museum and her installation, "(Don’t Be Absurd): Alice in Parts," was selected by NBC News as part of the list of “Queer Artist of Color Dominate 2021’s Must See LGBTQ Art Shows.” She has received fellowships and residencies from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, VONA, The White Center, Mineral School, Ragdale, 4Culture, and The New Orleans Writers Residency. Reneé’s poetry, fiction and nonfiction has been anthologized and published widely.
Thank you and we look forward to reading!