A POETRY contest has been launched by people campaigning to turn Reading Gaol into an arts centre.
The contest will be judged by Stephen Moss, the former literary editor of The Guardian.
Organisers from Save Reading Gaol want to encourage ballads based on the site which boasts among its inmates Oscar Wilde.
The free-to-enter contest is open to all ages, and the winners will see their verses performed by a professional actor.
Mr Moss says it is a huge privilege to be part of the contest.
“It both remembers the humanity of Oscar Wilde’s great poem and aims to publicise the important cause of turning Reading Gaol into an arts and heritage centre,” he adds.
“This mighty building has stood at the centre of Reading for 170 years as a warning and often as a symbol of despair.
“Now, if those who would turn it into a cultural hub for the community are successful, it can be an inspiration and a source of hope.”
The organisers suggest that poems could relate to the history or potential future of the Gaol, to Oscar Wilde’s incarceration there, to the Save Reading Gaol campaign or Banksy’s Create Escape artwork. Anything related to Reading Gaol is acceptable
Linda Saul, one of the team behind the contest, says: “There are a lot of people who have strong feelings about Reading Gaol, and we are hoping some of them will be inspired to put pen to paper and create something unique.
“Poems don’t have to be in ballad form, but they do need to be a bit shorter than Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol.”
The closing date for entries is Thursday, March 31, and certificates will be awarded for highly commended entries and the winners.
For more details, log on to: www.savereadinggaol.uk/poetry-competition
