Poetry Contest

The 2025 ruth weiss Poetry Contest invited poets, filmmakers, and artists to honor the life and legacy of pioneering Beat Generation poet, playwright, and filmmaker ruth weiss. Participants created ekphrastic poetry and poetry films inspired by visual art and themes drawn from her work, with submissions judged in three categories: Maverick, Emerging, and Youth. We received poetry and cinepoem entries from artists around the world, reflecting a wide range of voices and creative perspectives.

Monetary awards were presented to recognize outstanding work, including $1,500 for the Maverick Winner, $1,000 for the Emerging Winner, and $500 for the Youth Winner, along with two Honorable Mentions at $200 each and a Founder’s Award of $200.

The Maverick-winning entry was featured in Caesura, a respected Bay Area literary magazine, with publication of the poem.

Awards Ceremony

The 2025 ruth weiss Poetry Awards & Ceremony was held on December 13 at the Counterculture Museum in San Francisco, bringing together poets, artists, and community members for an evening of creativity and celebration. The program featured live poetry readings, cinepoem screenings, and DJ-curated music as this year’s award recipients were honored.