Frequently Asked Questions

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 will honor media, art, performance and writing that adapts or is inspired by Poe’s life and works. 

Though he was not wealthy in his lifetime, Edgar Allan Poe was the first American writer to support himself entirely by his pen. The Saturday Visiter was the name—and spelling—of the periodical that held a contest for poetry and short stories. Poe won the award for his short story “MS Found in a Bottle” (which he wrote at Poe House.) The Saturday 'Visiter' Awards are named after the prize a young Edgar Allan Poe won while he lived in Baltimore which launched the famed writer’s career. 

The awards will be given in two categories: works that adapt Poe’s life or works (including biography, or true adaptations of his poetry or prose), and original works that are inspired by Poe’s life or writing. In addition, important "Poe Places", including The Poe Museum (Richmond, VA) ,  The Poe Cottage (the Bronx NYC) and Poe House (Baltimore , MD) will highlight exceptional entries specific to their region. 

The awards will be presented by Poe Baltimore at The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards every October in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The Saturday Visiter Awards are given in two main juried categories:

• Works that adapt Edgar Allan Poe’s life or works (including biography and direct adaptations of his poetry or prose)
• Original works inspired by Poe’s life or writing

In addition, important Poe Places — including the Poe Museum (Richmond, VA), the Poe Cottage (Bronx, NY), and the Poe House (Baltimore, MD) — may highlight exceptional entries connected to their regions.

New in 2026: The Saturday Visiter Awards program now also includes a Public Acclaim Spotlight, which recognizes notable examples of Poe’s influence in popular culture. Public Acclaim selections are curated separately and are not part of the juried awards competition.

Eligibility criteria and guidelines are announced with the annual Call for Entries, which opens every year on January 19 (Poe’s birthday). 

NOTE:  A category for student creators has opened! Details and timeline for students can be found here.   

No! In fact, the awards are open to artists, filmmakers, theater groups, musicians, composers... and also writers. Anyone who has created work inspired by or adapting Poe is welcome to enter. Eligibility criteria are outlined here. 

Entrants are limited to one submission per category per year and are encouraged to select their strongest eligible work. 

 A Call for Entries opens every year on January 19 and closes on May 30. From the eligible entries received, nominees in each category are chosen by an independent panel of judges using the published criteria.

There may be up to ten (10) nominees in each category. Up to three (3) works per category may be recognized with awards. In years with smaller fields, fewer awards may be given at the judges’ discretion.

Nominees are notified and announced by July 31. Awards are presented during the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards in October.

NOTE: New! A category for student creators has opened! Details and timeline for students can be found here. 

The judging panel is invited and selected by the Poe Baltimore Board of Directors. While Poe Baltimore will accept inquiries from parties interested in joining the Awards Selection Panel in subsequent years, the Poe Baltimore Board of Directors is the governing body for selection and committee selection is by invitation only. 

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 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. The judges will be notified if an entry uses AI and determine how that work compares to entries that do not utilize the technology. Judges are not asked to disclose their thoughts/opinions on the use of AI.

An entry or award will be disqualified or stripped if it is later identified as an AI generated work (in whole or part) and the artist did not disclose this in the process details. 

The Public Acclaim Spotlight is part of the Saturday Visiter Awards program and recognizes notable examples of Edgar Allan Poe’s influence in contemporary popular culture. This category is intended to highlight films, books, podcasts, music, games, and other creative works that have brought Poe’s themes or legacy to new audiences but may not be formally entered into the juried awards.

Public Acclaim suggestions may be submitted by members of the public and are curated by Poe Baltimore with input from the Saturday Visiter Awards judges. Public Acclaim selections are not juried award entries and do not receive medals or cash awards. Selected works may be featured in connection with the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards, including public voting for an Audience Favorite.

Creators who wish to have their own work considered for juried awards and medals must submit through the official Saturday Visiter Awards entry process.

Yes. A work that was previously nominated may be entered again, provided it still falls within the current eligibility window.

However, previous award winners may not be entered again, including individual components or segments of a winning work. This policy ensures that recognition continues to highlight new and outstanding contributions to Poe’s legacy.