2025 Saturday Visiter Awards

The Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards are an honor presented by Poe Baltimore, recognizing Edgar Allan Poe’s continuing legacy in the arts and literature around the world. The prizes recognize the best media, art, performance and writing that adapts or is inspired by Poe’s life and works. Eligible works are not restricted by medium or genre. The awards are named for the Baltimore publication that awarded young Poe a prize for writing which launched the famed writer’s career. Prize medals will be presented at The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards in October during the current awards year, in Baltimore, Maryland.

­­Entries may be submitted within the following categories: 

1. “Adaptations of E.A. Poe’s Life or Works” 

Any artistic work that presents the historical facts of Poe’s life and likeness, or faithful adaptation or performance of Poe’s writing. Examples might include: a stage, film or recorded audio performance of Poe’s prose or poetry; musicals or compositions; portraiture or other artistic rendering of Poe’s likeness. Non-period or modern-day adaptations may qualify in this category provided the entry is clearly presented as directly representative of Poe’s life or works. Historical biography also qualifies in this category due to the narrative nature of such works. Please note the Saturday Visiter Awards are focused primarily on artistic works rather than academic or critical interpretation, so critical or academic treatises do not qualify for entry. Biographical entries that judges feel are ahistorical may be moved to the ”original works” category at the discretion of the judges or administrator.

2. “Original works inspired by E.A. Poe’s Life and Writing” 

Any original work that draws direct inspiration from Poe’s life or writing. Examples might include Poe or an historical person significant to Poe’s life as character in film, novel or play; use of some element of Poe’s written works (setting, character, plot) for sequel, prequel or basis for original story. In every case the entrant must clearly state and illustrate how Poe inspired the work. A dramatic telling or narrative of Poe’s life that purposely changes the historical facts for storytelling purposes might also qualify for this category. 

3. NEW: “Acclaim” (Popular Culture Recognition)

The Acclaim designation recognizes works that demonstrate Edgar Allan Poe’s continued presence and influence in popular culture. This category acknowledges widely visible or culturally significant adaptations, interpretations, or references to Poe’s life or works that may fall outside the traditional submission-based awards structure.

The Acclaim category (non-competitive) is the only category in which a member of the public man nominate a work. There is no entry fee, and self-nominations are not permitted. Individuals or entities may nominate one (1) work for Acclaim consideration during the awards cycle. Eligible works must have been publicly released or made widely available to a general audience within the previous three (3) years. Private screenings, test audiences, classroom presentations, workshops, or limited personal review do not constitute public release.

The judging panel for the current awards cycle will review public nominations, may propose additional works at their discretion, and will determine a final ballot. Final selection will be determined through public voting, conducted via social media or other public-facing platforms. The Acclaim designation may not be awarded every year. Final determination of eligibility, ballot inclusion, and voting format rests solely with the judging panel and Awards Administrator.

Entries (excluding Acclaim) may be submitted by an artist, producer, publisher, author or any member of the creative team. An ensemble member may submit, but the rights holder must be available to confirm permission to enter.

Publishers and production companies are invited to submit entries in either category. Self-published or independently-produced works are eligible. In each case, the rights holder must be identified and permission granted by them to be considered for an award.

**Entrants are limited to one submission per category. Multiple entries in a single category are

not permitted; please select your best work and save additional entries for subsequent years.**

Works of any medium and genre released, printed, distributed or first performed between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025 (the previous three years). Digital or web-based entries may also qualify but must have been first published/posted publicly in this period. For the purposes of eligibility, “released,” “published,” or “first performed” is defined as public availability to a general audience through a recognized platform, venue, publisher, distributor, or public-facing presentation. Private showings, test screenings, classroom presentations, workshops, or personal review do not constitute public release.

This three-year eligibility period will be updated annually. A work may be submitted again in subsequent years if it remains eligible.

Re-printed or re-released materials are discouraged unless the work has been materially changed, updated, or edited in a significant way; in such cases, the panel judges will determine eligibility and their decision is final. A work may be nominated in more than one year, but a winning entry may not be entered again, including parts/components such as individual segments within the whole.

Works published or created outside the U.S. are eligible, but at this time the work must be in English or provide English-language subtitles. All eligibility determinations and category placement decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Awards Administrator and judging panel, and such decisions are final.

The primary consideration for judging submissions will be overall quality. Popularity or sales will not determine selection of nominees. The purpose of the Saturday Visiter Awards is to celebrate Poe’s continuing legacy in the arts, and to recognize a new generation of artists and writers who keep Poe in popular culture.

Entries are submitted and processed digitally via the Saturday Visiter Awards Call for Entries portal which opens January 19 (Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday) every year. The fee to enter a work for consideration is $25.00 (USD). Every work will require separate entry fee, even if the same creator/creative team is entering a second piece in the alternate category. All entry fees are non-refundable under all circumstances, including disqualification, withdrawal, or ineligibility.

Entrants are required to provide contact information (anonymous entries are not permitted) and a valid URL/link to the work for the judges to consider. 

Entrants are strongly advised to provide link to a format easily accessible to the judges (i.e. PDF, JPG, PNG) and that does not require specialized software to play or open. Do not send URL that requires password. The entrant is responsible for providing a working link; the administrator will contact the applicant one time to fix the URL if the work is not accessible to the judges, after which the entry will be disqualified without refund. The applicant is responsible for providing correct contact information.

Should you feel your piece is best represented in physical format, you will have opportunity to share this with the judges, however URL for entry is still required. 

A statement must accompany your submission, indicating title of the work and the selected category. Every entrant must provide the title of the piece and the artist credits. 

Longform entries such as novels or works for stage, television, web or film should provide a link to the entire work, plus notes bookmarking a representative chapter or segment (5,000 words) or timestamp for representative segment (20 minutes) for the judges’ first round consideration. Entrants may later be asked to provide additional information/materials at the judges’ discretion. Scripts may also be submitted as supporting materials for performances such as film/web/television. 

The use of artificial intelligence (a.k.a. AI) programs is not prohibited, however self-identifying when such a program may or may not have been used is important for transparency and fairness. We require artists/creators to self-identify when their work is generated in whole or part using an AI program. There is no penalty for use of such programs, however artists are required to share these process details as part of their description and may be stripped of nomination and/or reward if this statement is later found to be lacking or incomplete 

An independent panel of judges will carefully consider all entries and choose a final ballot of up to ten (10) nominees in each category. The number of nominees selected may vary by category and year, and fewer than ten nominees may be named at the discretion of the judging panel. The nominees will be notified and announced on or before July 30 of the current year. Once chosen, nominees are:

Once chosen, nominees are:

• Awarded a “nominee” designation to adorn their work
• Listed in the Poe Fest International program 
• Invited to attend and/or perform during Poe Fest Int’l (travel not provided)
• Invited to participate in festival programming or present their work on festival grounds, at the discretion of Poe Baltimore 
• Provided one (1) ticket to the presentation ceremony; additional tickets at 50% discount.

Nominees will then be ranked by the judging panel. In categories where seven (7) or more nominees are selected, the top three (3) entries will be designated as award recipients. In categories where fewer than seven (7) nominees are selected, a single (1) award recipient will be designated.

Separately, select Poe-related historic sites may each confer one (1) Regional Selection Award per awards cycle, independent of the competitive judging process; recipients are award winners and receive a Saturday Visiter Awards medal recognizing institutional distinction.

For the Acclaim Category, judges may select offerings for the year and the category “nominees” will be put for a vote at PoeFestInternational.org 

Saturday Visiter Awards will be presented during The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards in Baltimore, Maryland.

Winners will be awarded a prize medal and a “Saturday Visiter Award Winner” designation to adorn their work for all time. Winners are also invited to participate in festival programming or present their work on festival grounds the year following their win, at the discretion of Poe Baltimore.

• January 19: Call for entries opens
• May 30: Deadline for entries
• July 30: Nominees notified/announced
• October: Poe Fest International

  Key dates are subject to change for the current awards cycle. Festival dates will be published annually on the official Saturday Visiter Awards website and Call for Entries portal.

Poe Baltimore 

(Attn: SVA Coordinator) 

PO Box 23773

Baltimore, MD 21223

contact@poefestinternational.org

Poe Baltimore is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to fund, maintain and interpret The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, and to celebrate the legacy of one of Baltimore’s most famous residents. The organization is dedicated to maintaining the museum as a vibrant experience for the thousands of visitors who come from around the world each year, and as part of a broader mission of city-wide events and educational opportunities celebrating Poe’s legacy in Baltimore and beyond. 

The Saturday Visiter Awards are administered and copyrighted by Poe Baltimore. All rights reserved. 

UPDATED  December 18, 2025