THE 7TH JÓZSEF ATTILA POETRY, SUNG POETRY, AND PROSE RECITATION CONTEST IN ENGLAND
The Association of Hungarian Reciters in England has been proving for a decade that it has brought to life one of the most significant Hungarian cultural events in the United Kingdom—an event born from exemplary solidarity and continuing to grow year after year through its strength.
The success of this recitation contest, which transcends national borders, demonstrates that we are not only creating a prestigious opportunity for Hungarians living in the diaspora to showcase their talent but have increasingly elevated this outstanding cultural event to an international level.
This day is not only about reciting poetry but also about community, the love of literature, and shared experiences.
Date and Venue of the Contest
Sunday, 14 June 2026, from 10:00 AM
Hungarian House of London, 17-19 Cockspur St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5BL
Conditions of Entry
We welcome applications from amateur poetry and prose reciters aged 6 and over.
The competition is held in three age categories:
– Children (ages 6–12)
– Youth (ages 13–19)
– Adult (age 20+)
Contestants must prepare one poem by Attila József and one freely chosen poem or prose piece from universal Hungarian literature. One of the prepared texts must be performed by heart on stage, in the presence of the audience and the jury. The jury may request the performance of the second piece. Note: For the Children’s Category, preparing one freely chosen work is sufficient.
NEW CATEGORY THIS YEAR!
Our competition is expanding to include a Sung Poetry category!
We welcome performances of poems by Hungarian poets accompanied by acoustic instruments, whether they are original compositions or well-known adaptations.
Entries for the sung poetry category may be submitted as either individual or group productions.
The maximum duration for each performance is 5 minutes.
Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
Valuable prizes will be awarded to the winners and special award recipients in all three age groups. The main prize of the competition, the József Attila Award of England, will be presented by the jury to the most outstanding performer of the entire field.
Join us, be part of this special event, and showcase your talent!
Important Information for Participants
Please note that the VII. József Attila Recitation Contest in England accepts entries in Hungarian only. If you wish to enter the competition as a performer, please submit your application on the Hungarian version of our website.
However, we warmly welcome everyone to join us in the audience! You can register as a spectator below.