The Kenneth G. Mills Foundation is pleased to sponsor the 2018 Kenneth G. Mills Poetry and Singer-Songwriter Prizes, awarded for the fine poetry and songwriting of City of Toronto students in high school, college, or university. The prizes are offered to encourage and recognize the talent and creativity of young people.
The three themes this year are Wonder, Inspiration, and Peace. The judges will be looking for originality and freshness of ideas, perspectives, and presentation.
Dr. Kenneth G. Mills (1923–2004) was an accomplished poet, composer, conductor, and metaphysician. During his lifetime he published four volumes of poetry (what he described as “word paintings”), and many of his poems were set to music and performed by the a cappella ensemble the Star-Scape Singers at Carnegie Hall in New York and throughout North America, Europe, and the (then) U.S.S.R.
Once, when asked, “What is poetry?” Dr. Mills replied: “Prose dressed up for a ball.”
Students have the opportunity to win a cash prize and to perform their work at the awards gala on May 5, 2018, at 7:30 p.m., at the Heliconian Hall in Toronto.
First, second, third, and fourth prizes (totaling $1,000 in each category) will be awarded to students in the following categories:
Poetry – high school students
Poetry – college and university students
Singer-Songwriter – high school, college, and university students
For an application form and the rules for submissions, please visit https://www.kgmfoundation.org/poetry/. Entries must be submitted by March 15, 2018.
Flyers about the prizes have been distributed to high schools by the Toronto District School Board; Toronto universities, colleges, music schools, and writing groups; and the Guitar Society of Toronto. If you know any young poets and singer-songwriters who study in Toronto, please share this announcement with them.
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