Five official artworks were selected by the participating museums. To view all eligible artworks, click on the Contest Guidelines and Submission form link below.
Submission Period: February 4, 2026 – March 4, 2026
Poetry Month is just around the corner. Five museums have each selected an artwork from their collection and invite local poets to draw inspiration from it.
Submit a poem written in response to one of these artworks. Winning poems will be shared on the museum’s webpage and on this site in celebration of April, National Poetry Month.
Winners will also be invited to read at a celebratory event at the McNay Art Museum, Chiego Hall, on April 23, 2026, at 6pm.
This event is free and open to the public. Attendees must pre-register:
https://altru28005a.sky.blackbaud.com/28005a/Ekphrastic-Poetry-Celebration-Reading
What Is an Ekphrastic Poem?
An ekphrastic poem is written in response to a work of art. These poems engage with visual art through language, exploring its themes, meanings, or imagined stories.
Where Do I Find the Official Contest Submission Guidelines and Form?
For official guidelines and the submission form, please visit:
https://forms.gle/reebH38NP8gPB5XV9
Judges: Jim LaVilla Havelin, 2026 National Poetry Month coordinator, Eddie Vega, San Antonio Poet Laureate, and Linda Simone, poet, artist, and educator, will select up to three poems per artwork for each category.
Only poems written in response to an officially selected museum artwork and submitted through the online Google Form will be considered.
