New Generation poets (1994)

The term "New Generation Poets" refers specifically to a marketing initiative by the Poetry Book Society (PBS) in 1994 in the United Kingdom. It was designed to promote and celebrate a group of twenty emerging poets, judged to represent the most exciting new voices in contemporary British poetry at the time.

The selection process involved a panel of judges who reviewed submissions and identified poets demonstrating significant potential and innovative approaches to the art form. The initiative included a publicity campaign, featuring the selected poets in promotional materials and public readings. The aim was to increase the visibility of these poets, attract new readers to poetry, and stimulate interest in contemporary verse.

The poets chosen as part of the 1994 New Generation Poets initiative included: Simon Armitage, Lavinia Greenlaw, Glyn Maxwell, Carol Ann Duffy, Jackie Kay, Don Paterson, Kathleen Jamie, Paul Durcan, Mark Doty, John Burnside, Mick Imlah, Vicki Feaver, Bernard O’Donoghue, Peter Reading, Jo Shapcott, Matthew Sweeney, Peter Didsbury, Ian Duhig, Selima Hill, and Grace Nichols.

The "New Generation Poets" program had a significant impact on the careers of many of the featured poets, raising their profiles and contributing to their critical and commercial success. The initiative is often seen as a landmark event in the history of contemporary British poetry, helping to shape the landscape of the art form and introduce a new generation of readers to the work of talented and diverse voices. While the selection was praised, it also faced criticism regarding its inclusivity and representation of the wider spectrum of poetic talent.