Button Poetry Video Contest Opens July 15, 2026
General Guidelines
There are so many ways to record and present poetry, and we want to continue giving people around the world the chance to step up on the digital stage and share their work.
We are looking for brave work that crosses borders or effaces them completely, work that enters into larger social conversations, work that lives in the world, work with a strong, unique voice and palpable energy.
See our previous winners at the bottom of this page for examples!
ENTRY DETAILS:
- $15 per submission. Please, only one video per submission. Multiple submissions are welcome.
- Prize: The winner’s video along with multiple runners-up will be featured across Button’s social media. The winner will receive a $500 honorarium. Additional entries may also be recognized and published.
ELIGIBILITY:
- Age: You must be 18 years or older to enter (sorry!).
- Language: We welcome any poetry performance or poetry short film in any language, as long as non-English videos come with English subtitles.
- Previous Publication: Videos that have been previously published elsewhere are eligible, with the understanding that any selected video may need to be taken down from other locations on the internet.
RULES:
- Video Length: Videos must be 1-4 minutes in length.
- File Size: File size may not exceed 1GB.
- Submission Format: Videos must be submitted using the submission manager on this page. Most common video file-types are accepted.
- Rights: You MUST own the complete, transferable rights to ALL elements of the submission. This includes but is not limited to text, audio, video, and images.
- Collaborative Poems: Collaborative poems are fine!
- Video Quantity: Only one video per submission. Multiple submissions are welcomed.
Please note that submissions which do not meet these rules may be disqualified.
A HUGE CONGRATS to our 2025 Video Contest Winner…
DNA after Kendrick Lamar by Boris Rogers!
Click HERE to watch DNA after Kendrick Lamar!
Further congratulations are in order to the following six finalists for their stellar poems!
Click HERE to see a compiled video of all performances.
Have questions? Visit our Video Contest FAQ.