POETRY IN MCGREGOR was delighted to announce a new poetry prize at our November 2021 festival. This is the HUGH HODGE POETRY IN MCGREGOR AWARD. It honours Hugh Hodge, who sadly died this year. Hugh was a steadfast, selfless servant of poetry who contributed to building a confident and significant community of poets. He was a champion of open mic events and brought a towering charisma to the Poetry in McGregor festival.

The prize is granted retrospectively to 2013, the first year of our festival.

Judging of the 2021 Hugh Hodge Poetry in McGregor Award was done in situ at three open mic events: The Red Wheelbarrow Open Mic; the Temenos Open Mic; and the inaugural Hugh Hodge Open Mic. The latter carried subsidiary acclaim called ‘On the Spot’.

2021 Winner Jadrik Pedro-Koopman

2021 ‘On the Spot’ acclaim was granted to Sipho Hotstix Mabuso; Juliet Muller, Giles Griffith,  Derek Hewson and Keith Gottschalk

2020 Winner Malika Ndlovu

2019 Winner Winifred Thomson

2018 Winner Kris Marais

2017 Winner Harry Owen

2016 Winner Phillippa Yaa de ViIliers

2015 Winner Tauriq Jenkins

2014 Winner Elizabeth Trew

2013 Winner Oliver Findlay Price