Vidyan Ravinthiran and Karen Solie have been named joint winners of this year’s Forward prize for best collection, marking the first time in the prize’s history that the honour has been shared. The award, one of the UK’s most prestigious poetry accolades, was presented at a ceremony at London’s Southbank Centre on Sunday evening.
Ravinthiran, born in Leeds to Sri Lankan Tamil parents and now based in the US, won for 'Avidyā', a collection described as emerging from journeys of great personal significance and a migrant sensibility tied to three countries. Canadian poet Solie shared the prize for 'Wellwater', a self-interrogative conversation with a culture in crisis and a natural world on the brink. Each poet received £5,000.
Judge Lisa Kelly said the winners “address the urgent challenges of our time” – climate crisis, war and migration – “with personal insight and philosophical depth”. Chair of judges Sarah Hall noted the ambition of the shortlisted works, stating: “It was buoying to read poetry from all corners of the globe and find within its diversity common ground.”
The prize also honoured three other poets. Isabelle Baafi won the Jerwood prize for best first collection for 'Chaotic Good', a formal exploration of power and transformation. Abeer Ameer took the Forward prize for best single poem in written form for 'At Least', a devastating meditation on loss responding to airstrike violence. Griot Gabriel won the performance category for 'Where I’m From', a love letter to Manchester celebrating his communities.
Forward prizes co-executive director Mónica Parle said the decision to name joint winners reflected the strength of contemporary poetry, adding: “In the end, it can be impossible to find a single, definitive answer in our complex world.” The prizes, established in 1992, have previously recognised poets including Simon Armitage, Ted Hughes and Carol Ann Duffy.
