Griffin Poetry Prize partnership Masterclass with Ishion Hutchinson

The international Griffin Poetry Prize and Arvon are pleased to announce a new Masterclass in poetry partnership, to be held on May 5th, 2026 at 7:00pm BST/2:00pm ET led by acclaimed poet Ishion Hutchinson.

Delivered virtually and hosted by Arvon, the Masterclass will provide participants with two hours of inspiring instruction on developing the craft of poetry from Hutchinson, who was shortlisted for the 2024 Griffin Poetry Prize for his book-length poem, School of Instructions, and currently serves as a trustee of the Griffin Poetry Prize.

For over fifty years Arvon has been the UK’s home of creative writing with courses and retreats led by highly acclaimed writers. Past tutors have included Ted Hughes, Beryl Bainbridge, Angela Carter, Bernardine Evaristo, Hilary Mantel, Colm Tóibín, Ray Davies, Michael Morpurgo and Salman Rushdie. Present tutors include Mark Haddon, Kim Addonizio, Simon Stephens, Alice Oswald, Andrew Miller, Samantha Harvey, Pascale Petit and Mona Arshi.

The Griffin Poetry Prize was founded in 2000 to encourage and celebrate excellence in poetry. The prize is awarded annually for a first-edition poetry collection written in, or translated into, English by a living poet and/or translator from any country. The winner of
the international Griffin Poetry Prize receives C$130,000. The other shortlisted poets each receive C$10,000.

Aligned in their commitment to championing the art of poetry and widening access to creative learning, the Griffin Poetry Prize and Arvon are thrilled to collaborate on this Masterclass. The cost of the class is £40.00/$74.00 CAD. Free and discounted registration will be offered to qualifying poets in the UK and Canada, reflecting the shared belief that poets should be provided the opportunity to enhance their writing both locally and abroad.

Discounts are offered to those as follows, with the option to self-select at checkout:
• Identifying as a low-wage earner
• Identifying as having a disability
• Attendees age 18-25
• Teachers
• Full-time students

Scott Griffin, Founder and Chairman of the Griffin Poetry Prize, said: “I believe the Griffin Poetry Prize’s partnership with Arvon will assist Canadian poets to further their education and reputation in the international world of poetry. Arvon, like the Griffin Poetry Prize, has been long committed to supporting creative voices. This partnership strengthens our shared vision of celebrating poets at every stage of their journey.”

Andrew Kidd, CEO of Arvon, said: “Arvon is delighted to be embarking on a partnership with the Griffin Poetry Prize. We have long admired the Prize for its international outlook, its generous support for the ecosystem of poetry as a whole, and, most of all, for its commitment to engaging as many readers as possible with work that captures ‘the full range of experience and emotion that distinguishes us as human beings’. This aligns perfectly with Arvon’s own commitment to engaging as many people as we can with the transformative potential of creative expression and the power of the written word, and we look forward to what we hope will become a long association with the Griffin Poetry Prize.”

Full details on Ishion Hutchinson’s Masterclass can be found here.