By S. Kalekar
These are contests, awards, and fellowships for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and journalism. They offer awards up to $80,000. A few of the awards are for themed calls. They are, very loosely, divided geographically. A couple of the deadlines are in January.
INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS
Keats-Shelley Memorial Association: Young Romantics Prize
The Young Romantics Poetry (up to 30 lines) and Essay Prize (750-1,000 words) is open to anyone aged 16-18.
The theme for the poetry prize is ‘Exile’.
For the essay prize, choose one of these two topics:
“In what ways are Romantic-period writers relevant today?”
“‘Mad, bad and dangerous to know’: How important is a knowledge of Byron’s life to an understanding of his poetry?”
Value: £700, £300
Deadline: 31 January 2025 (10 am GMT)
Open for: Writers ages 16-18
Details here.
(They are also running Keats-Shelley prizes for adults. For the essay contest – on any aspect of the writing and/or lives of the Romantics and their circles, up to 3,000 words – entry is free, and winner gets £1,000. There is an entry fee for the poetry prize, and the deadline for both is 31 January, details here.)
Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
They want a short story, of up to 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. They want to see Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, adventure. They do not want stories that show technology or space travel as evil or bad, galactic empires, paranormal elements, UFO abductions, zombie stories, thinly veiled copies of previous winners, non-standalone novel excerpts, or screenplays.
Value: 8c/word, and various non-cash awards
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Open for: All writers
Details here (click on ‘Contest rules’).
(They also have a fantasy short story contest, the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award, which pays $0.08/word for stories of up to 8,000 words in all fantasy genres, and the deadline for that is end-April 2025.)
The Mike Resnick Memorial Award
This award is sponsored by Galaxy’s Edge magazine and Dragon Con. They want a science fiction story by a new writer (who has not been paid a per-word rate of 8 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50). Send stories up to 7,499 words. Writers do not need to be members of Dragon Con.
Value: $250, $100, $50
Deadline: 1 February 2025
Open for: New writers of fiction
Details here (scroll down) and here.
Biographers International Organization: The Frances “Frank” Rollin Fellowship
They offer two fellowships, open to all biographers anywhere in the world who are writing in English, who are working on a biography of an African American figure or figures whose story provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the Black experience, and who are at any stage in the writing of a book-length biography. A publishing contract is not required for eligibility. Memoirs are not eligible. The application includes an excerpt of up to 20 pages. The Biographers International Organization also has other awards, some of which are open for all writers, as well as other resources. Value: Two fellowships of $5,000 each
Deadline: 1 February 2025
Open for: See above
Details here.
St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition
This is a contest for young writers, they want a themed essay of 2,100 words, on ‘Global power is shifting. What’s your innovative idea to address a related risk or opportunity?’ – see guidelines for details. To be eligible, writers must be enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university, and be born in 1994 or later.
Value: CHF20,000, split between three winners; they’ll also cover travel, accommodation, and admission to the symposium in Switzerland.
Deadline: 1 February 2025
Open for: Young writers (see above)
Details here.
New America National Fellows Program
This international program brings on thinkers—journalists, scholars, filmmakers, and public policy analysts—whose work enhances the public conversation about the most pressing issues of our day. The product of the fellowship should be a nonfiction reporting project in the form of a book, film, podcast, longform article, or well-researched multimedia project. Fellows advance ideas through research, reporting, analysis, and storytelling. The organizers look for projects that are original and ambitious, with viable plans for their implementation. Their goal is to find bold, impactful thinkers and to fund them for a year; long enough to make progress on a book, develop a series of articles, produce a documentary, or work on another project that is accessible. Fellows have to attend two cohort gatherings throughout the fellowship year. There are no residency or nationality requirements, though fellows need to be involved in the New America community.
Value: Generally $15,000-30,000
Deadline: 3 February 2025 (letters of reference are due 6 February)
Open for: All journalists, scholars, filmmakers and public policy analysts
Details here.
Narrative ‘Tell Me a Story’ High School Contest
They want a poem, story, or essay, on a theme by students in grades 9-12 all over the world – see guidelines for suggestions on what the theme can entail, and length guidelines. The work must be submitted by the student’s English teacher. The prompt is, “What I Cannot Say, I’ll Say Here”.
Value: $500, $200, $100; $50 for finalists
Deadline: 5 February 2025
Open for: High school students
Details here.
Reuters Institute Journalist Fellowship Program
This is a scheme for “practising, mid-career journalists to take some time out from their day jobs to explore journalism in depth. Journalists joining us in Oxford will further their understanding of journalism through seminars, networking events, discussions with peers and working on a personal project. This is a programme for working journalists and editors who will return to journalism after spending a few months with us.” They accept around 30 Journalist Fellows from around the world each year. And, “Most journalists on the programme are fully funded. Successful applicants get their fees covered and receive a monthly stipend of £2,000, which will be enough to cover the cost of accommodation, food, and general living expenses. We will also cover the cost of travel to and from the UK and any visa costs. Fellows should refrain from professional work during the fellowship.” You must have a minimum of five years’ journalistic experience.
Value: Monthly stipend of £2,000, and more (see above)
Deadline: 13 February 2025
Open for: Mid-career journalists
Details here and here.
University of Pittsburgh: The CAAPP Book Prize
This is “a publishing partnership between the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for African American Poetry and Poetics and Autumn House Press with the goal of publishing and promoting a writer of African descent. The prize is awarded annually to a first or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African American, African, or African diasporic experiences. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. The winning manuscript will be published by Autumn House Press and its author will be awarded $3,000.” Send a manuscript of 48-168 pages.
Value: $3,000
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Open for: A writer of African descent
Details here.
The Island Prize
This is for a debut novel from an African writer, regardless of the country of residence, for a debut novel of 35,000-100,000 words. Send the first three chapters, or 10,000 words. There is no restriction as to specific genre – anything from literary fiction to crime thriller is welcome. Up to 8 longlisted authors will be invited to submit the full manuscript. From these, a shortlist, and eventually, a winner will be chosen. “Longlisted authors will be invited to join a joint Zoom meeting in which general feedback and advice will be given. … The two runners-up will each receive £200 and will be given an individual Zoom session with detailed feedback. We will also work closely with them to help them in creating a submission package, giving advice about where to submit to. … The winner receives £500. The Island Prize is not about money, but rather about assisting the winner in navigating the difficult world of the publishing industry.”
Value: £500, £200
Deadline: 16 February 2025
Open for: African writers
Details here.
NYU Journalism: Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award
The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award is “to provide the means for promising early-career, creative nonfiction writers to report on an untold story that uncovers truths about the human condition”. Writers can apply for one of the institute’s awards per year. (Their other award is The Reporting Award, for a significant work of journalism, in any medium, on an under-reported subject in the public interest. Their other grants / scholarships are here.)
Deadline: 19 February 2025
Value: Up to $12,500
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
Lunch Ticket: Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction
This award is for a creative non-fiction piece of up to 3,500 words on any subject. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $250
Reading period: February 2025
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Lunch Ticket: The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts
Translators and authors of multilingual texts are encouraged to submit their work for The Gabo Prize. Writers should indicate whether the translation falls under poetry or prose, and include the original work along with your translation. Original, bilingual work qualifies for the Gabo Prize. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $200
Reading period: February 2025
Open for: All translators
Details here.
Front Strike Press: Post Election Emotional Turmoil
Frong Strike Press is a new micropress/ magazine, and this is their inaugural contest. “Our theme is temporarily called “post election emotional turmoil.” If you went into a depressive spiral in November, you’re not alone. Share your grief, your rage, your feelings of helplessness with us.” They accept poetry, micro non/fiction, flash non/fiction, and art – see their Duosuma page for specifics in each genre.
Value: $50 (1 written piece and 1 image which will be the cover art), $20 for shortlisted works (2-5 written pieces and 2-5 images), and $10 for longlisted works; all contributors will receive 2 complimentary physical copies once we sort out publication
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest
This is a short fiction contest run by the Little Tokyo Historical Society in Los Angeles. Stories must take place in Little Tokyo, and can be set in the past, present, or future. Stories can be in Japanese (5,000 ji or fewer) or English (up to 2,500 words). There are three categories: Youth (under 18s), Japanese, and English. They want fictional stories set in Little Tokyo. And, “Contest winners will be invited and encouraged to attend an awards ceremony in Little Tokyo to be held in summer 2025.”
Value: $500 in each category
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Unspecified
Details here (download the guidelines and agreement form).
Words Without Borders: Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators
They have announced the third annual Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators; literary fiction and nonfiction for a trade audience are eligible genres. It is “intended to facilitate the completion of a substantial sample of a book-length work of prose translation suitable for submission to English-language publishers, and will be awarded to an individual translator who has not yet received a book-length contract for translation work into English. We particularly welcome submissions from translators from historically underrepresented cultures and backgrounds.” The emerging translator need not live in the United States. A couple of the application requirements are a 2,500-word translation sample, and a 500-word project description.
Value: $3,000
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Translators who have not yet received a book-length contract for translation work into English
Details here and here.
Baltimore Science Fiction Society Poetry Contest
For this contest, poets are required to submit poetry on science fiction/fantasy/horror/science themes. Send poems up to 60 lines. Winners will receive a cash prize, convention membership and be invited to read their winning entries at Balticon. Attendance at Balticon is not required to win. Their submission form also says, entries received after 1 March will be automatically entered in the following year’s contest.
Value: $100, $75, $50
Deadline: 1 March 2025
Open for: All poets
Details here.
University of Colorado: Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism
Their website says, “Five Ted Scripps Fellowships are awarded each year. The fellowship is open to full-time journalists working in any medium who are interested in advancing their knowledge of environmental issues. It is aimed at outstanding journalists committed to a career in professional journalism. Applicants must have five years of full-time professional journalism experience and must also have a BA or BS college degree, at minimum. Applicants may include reporters, editors, producers, photojournalists, documentarians, and feature writers. Both salaried staff and full-time freelancers are welcome to apply. Prior experience in covering the environment is not required.” And, “We welcome applications from international journalists; however, please be advised that you must hold a current visa and be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application to be considered for this position.” Fellows audit classes, pursue an independent project, attend weekly seminars, and participate in field trips to world-renowned institutions to learn what’s new in the realm of environmental science and policy. Fellows pay for their own housing and make their own housing arrangements. They receive a stipend, and will travel (expenses paid) to the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference.
Value: $80,000
Deadline: 1 March 2025
Open for: Full-time journalists authorised to work in the US (see guidelines)
Details here and here.
Deep Wild Graduate Student Prose Contest
This is an international contest from Deep Wild: Writing from the Backcountry magazine – they want students currently enrolled in graduate studies to submit work for their Graduate Student Contest and for this cycle, they are accepting work in prose (fiction or non-fiction, entries of up to 3,000 words), and poetry (up to 4 pages). “We seek work that conjures the experiences, observations, and insights of backcountry journeys. By “backcountry,” we mean away from roads, on journeys undertaken by foot, skis, snowshoes, kayak, canoe, horse, or any other non-motorized means of conveyance.” For 2025, the contest theme is “Waking to the Wild.” “We seek work in any genre that conveys the awe, the gratitude, the passion to protect, and/or any other feelings and thoughts that arise when you awaken to the wild world.”
Value: $200, $100, and $50
Deadline: 1 March 2025
Open for: Students enrolled in graduate studies
Details here (scroll down) and here.
(Their Submittable is also open for other submissions; please be sure to submit in the correct category.)
(A couple of contests with later deadlines are:
— Alpine Fellowship Prizes: They have a Poetry Prize, a Writing Prize, a Theatre Prize, as well as Music, Philosophy, Refugee Scholar, and Visual Arts prizes. Please read the guidelines for each genre carefully. The contest will open on 1st February, and they will announce the theme then; the work must address that theme. Winner receives a cash prize in each category. The prizes are £3,000, and two runner-up prizes of £1,000 each in creative writing categories – poetry, writing, theatre; the deadline is 1 April 2025, and it is open to all writers. Details here – click on individual tabs for various genres.
— National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Writing Fellowships for US writers – they are accepting applications for prose this year, awards are up to $50,000, and the deadline is 12 March 2025, details here.
— Terrain.org Editor’s Prize: They welcome submissions on place, climate, and justice – fiction (short story, flash fiction series, novel excerpt, radio play, or other fiction piece), non-fiction, and poetry. They also accept translations, and art. Payment for general submissions is a minimum of $50. And, “All accepted submissions by writers of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, women, and/or other marginalized communities whose contributions explore place particularly in the context of social, environmental, or climate justice are considered for our annual Editor’s Prize of $500 per genre.” There is no separate submission process or entry fee for this contest; they have other, fee-based contests too. Certain sections, like Letter to America and ArTerrain, are open year-round, and other sections have submission periods, or are open periodically. Submissions close on 31st March poetry, and on 30 April 2025 for fiction and non-fiction. The Editor’s Prize for underrepresented writers is $500 per genre. Details here.)
FOR WRITERS IN US AND CANADA
(Also see the Frances “Frank” Rollin Fellowship, CAAPP Book Prize, Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest, Ted Scripps Fellowships for Environmental Journalism, and National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Writing Fellowships in the section above.)
PRIZES FOR US- AND CANADA-BASED WRITERS
Fund for Investigative Journalism Grants
They are accepting applications for “seed” grants for early reporting. The Fund provides grants for print and online articles, television and radio stories, documentary films, podcasts and books. Foreign-based story proposals must come from U.S.-based reporters or have a strong U.S. angle involving American citizens, government or business; all stories must be published in English, in a media outlet in the United States.
Value: $1,000 to $2,500
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Open for: Investigative journalism stories based in the U.S./with a strong U.S. angle
Details here.
(Fund for Investigative Journalism is also accepting applications for regular and expediated grantsup to $10,000, and the application deadline for that is 27 January 2025; for these too, journalists must be U.S.-based or working on a story with a very strong U.S. angle; details here.)
Bucknell University: Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing
This residency is offered by Bucknell University, and provides writing time of up to four months. It’s for writers of any literary genre: any creative genre in the literary arts, including fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, hybrid work, graphic novel, etc. Writers should be working on a first or second book. There are two residencies, in fall and spring semesters. Some record of publication is desirable.
Value: $5,000 and residency
Deadline: 1 February 2025
Open for: US writers
Details here.
(See the full list of their programs and residencies here.)
National High School Poetry Contest at Gannon University
This is a poetry contest for US high school students, including homeschooled students, in grades 9-12. “Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines.” Winners will be required to complete a W-9 form to get the monetary award.
Value: $100, $75, $50
Deadline: 1 February 2025
Open for: US high school students in grades 9 through 12
Details here.
A Public Space Editorial Fellowship
This is a program for aspiring editors; the fellowship period is The 2025 Editorial Fellowships period is approximately six months, from June 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025. The Fellows will work on their own schedule, and will have responsibilities of approximately fifteen hours weekly. They must be able to attend up to two weekly meetings (virtual and in person) during regular office hours; they must be residents of New York City for the duration of the fellowship. (Also, “Unfortunately, A Public Space is unable to sponsor work visas.”) “Some experience in editorial work is preferred but not required. Preference will be given to aspiring editors who have not worked extensively in literary publishing, and who may have limited access to career opportunities in the industry.” And, “Two Editorial Fellows will be selected to work alongside the editorial staff at A Public Space on various aspects of the magazine, including evaluating submissions, researching, developing, and soliciting work, editing, copyediting, proofreading, production, and promotion. They will also have the opportunity to oversee an Open Call and serve as the lead editor on a piece for the magazine.“ They have some eligibility and application requirements.
Value: $6,000
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Open for: Aspiring editors who can reside in New York City for the duration of the fellowship
Details here and here.
Poetry Northwest: James Welch Prize for Indigenous Writers
This is a poetry prize for Indigenous writers in the US – “new, emerging, and established poets who are community-recognized members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). Only poets who have not published more than one book-length collection are eligible; however, previous publication is not a requirement.” And, “Eligible contestants must be community-recognized members of their tribal nation. Formal tribal enrollment is not the only way of acknowledging belonging, and this prize aims to recognize all Native writers who are in community.” Submit up to three poems. Apart from cash prizes, two poets will also be invited to read at a literary venue.
Value: $1,000 each (Kickstarter-funded for the next few years – see here.)
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Open for: Indigenous writers in the US (see guidelines)
Details here (scroll down), here, and here.
Syracuse University Press: Veterans Writing Award
“The mission of the Veterans Writing Award is to recognize the contributions of veterans to the literary arts, shine a light on the multivalent veteran experience, and provide a platform for unrecognized military writers.” The award alternates between fiction and non-fiction. For this cycle, they are taking fiction manuscripts of up to 90,000 words. Submit a full-length novel, novella, or collection of short stories in manuscript form. “The award is open to U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate family members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents, and children. … Although work submitted for the contest need not be about direct military experience, we seek original voices and fresh perspectives that will expand and challenge readers’ understanding of the lives of veterans and their families. Posthumous submissions are eligible.” There is a cash prize and a publishing contract with Syracuse University Press.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Open for: U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military, their immediate family members
Details here.
West Chester University: Five contests
They run some contests, five of which are free to enter, and offer cash prizes.
— Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for poems composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Sonnet Award: This is a contest for undergraduate poets in the US, for sonnets. The prize is $1,000.
— The Villanelle Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university, for villanelles. The prize is $1,000.
— Myong Cha Son Haiku Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for unpublished, original haiku. The prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Rhina P. Espaillat Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for original poems written in Spanish, and translations of English poems to Spanish. The prize is $500.
Deadline: 17 February 2025 for all West Chester University contests
Open for: Undergraduate poets in the US
Details here (scroll down) for all the West Chester University poetry awards; click on each contest name for details.
(West Chester University also has a poetry writing contest for grades 3-12, details will be forthcoming on their website.)
The Academy of American Poets: Guggenheim Poet-in-Residence This is for those currently authorized to work in the U.S. for any employer; have published a poetry book/s or have a track of spoken-word poetry performance, and are able to commute to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City throughout the residency. “The Poet-in-Residence at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is an annual position created in collaboration with the Academy of American Poets that specifically focuses on poetry and public space. The Poet-in-Residence will work together with the Guggenheim and Academy of American Poets to design and create a project that takes poetry beyond the page and enlivens the museum experience for visitors. Through their residency, the selected candidate will consider how the Guggenheim may serve as an active public space for visionary ideas and community.” There are various requirements and responsibilities, including co-conceiveing/designing a project centering the museum experience and architecture; participating in public programs at the Guggenheim copresented by the museum and the Academy of American Poet; and visiting the Academy of American Poets to discuss their project, produce a 1,000-word essay on the intersection of poetry and art, and more. See the post about the 2025 residency on the Guggenheim website here.
Value: $20,000
Deadline: 19 February 2025
Open for: US poets
Details here (scroll down)
(Also see other awards by the Academy of American Poets that are open now, including fee-free ones; see their Submittable here for details.)
Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships
These are fellowships for US poets laureate. They are for poets of literary merit appointed to serve in civic positions and to support them in creating new work, as well as to enable them to undertake projects that enrich the lives of their neighbors, including youth, through poetry activities. There are some eligibility requirements, including: appointed as an official poet laureate of a state, city, county, U.S. territory, or Tribal nation by a Governor, State Arts or Humanities Council, State Poet Laureate Commission, Tribe President, Mayor, City Council, City Poet Laureate Commission, City Arts Board, County Arts Board, or a city’s public library system; your service as poet laureate, carried out in good community standing, occurring sometime between January 31, 2024 and June 30, 2025; and published one or more full-length poetry collection(s) and/or chapbook(s) or substantial history of public spoken word performances. Some of the submission requirements are a poetry sample, and a description of your proposed civic project(s), including a timeline for the project(s) you would conduct, that engages youth and/or addresses important statewide or local issues.
Value: $50,000 (see guidelines)
Deadline: 24 February 2024
Open for: US poets laureate
Details here, here, and here.
(Also see other awards by the Academy of American Poets that are open now, including fee-free ones; see their Submittable here for details.)
Black Caucus of ALA (BCALA) Self-Publishing Literary Awards
“Through this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. … The awards will be presented during the National Conference Of African American Librarians (NCAAL) in summer of 2025.”
Value: $2,500 in each genre
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: African American writers in the US with self-published fiction and poetry ebooks
Details here.
The Sejong Cultural Society Writing Contests
This is only for US and Canadian writers. The Sejong Writing Competition aims to introduce young adults to Korean culture through literature and poetry. They are currently open for themed contests in two genres. There is a poetry contest (a sijo contest) – you can enter in the adult division (age 19 and older) and pre-college division (age 18 and younger – see guidelines). There is also a themed essay contest – you can enter in the adult division (age 19-30 years), senior division (grade 9th – 12th) or junior essay division (grade 8 and younger). They have set themes and detailed guidelines, please read them carefully.
Value: For the sijo contest – adult division: $1,000, $750, $500; pre-college division: $500, $400, $300, and $50 each for honorable mentions
For the essay contest – adult division $1,000, $750, $500; senior division: $500, $400, $300; junior division: $300, $200, $100; and $50 each for honorable mentions
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Young US and Canadian writers (see guidelines)
Details here (click on individual categories)
Poetry Foundation: Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships
These grants are for US poets ages 21-31 years. Applicants have to register on their online portal. Poets can also apply for alternative formats to submit applications. One of the application requirements is a writing sample.
Value: $27,000
Deadline: 3 March April 2025 (virtual information session, deadline to request alternative application formats, and cut off to submit application portal registration for first time applicants are earlier – see guidelines)
Open for: US writers
Details here.
(See all of Poetry Foundation’s grants and awards for individuals here.)
FOR WRITERS IN UK AND IRELAND
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition
This is for young poets studying in the UK, aged 16-18 years. Submit a poem of up to 48 lines. The theme for 2025 is ‘Roots’.
Value: £5,000, £3000, £1500; £500 for runners-up
Deadline: 20 February 2025
Open for: Young poets studying in the UK
Details here.
The Orwell Society Dystopian Fiction Prize
The Orwell Society is organising its annual short story competition for current students (both BA and MA) at British universities. They want dystopian narratives of up to 3,000 words. The judges will be looking for the narrative which best follows in the tradition set by Orwell in Nineteen Eighty-Four and which Orwell is most likely to have admired.
Value: £750
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Current students (both BA and MA) at British universities, who are permanent UK citizens
Details here.
Cove Park Residencies: Bridge Awards Residency
Cove Park hosts domestic and international residencies for artists and writers through the year, and some of them are awarded residencies (no payment required). Currently, they are accepting applications for the Bridge Awards Residency, which is specifically for writers and artists based in Scotland whose careers have been impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis and who have undergone successful treatment and are up to five years in remission. The four Bridge Awards Residencies will run in parallel for ten days, from 19 May to 29 May 2025. The awardees will receive a stipend and residency. There will be a fee payable to the artist of £825, a materials allowance for studio-based practitioners of up to £75, a travel allowance of up to £150, private accommodation on site and, if required, a private studio space.
Value: £825 + travel allowance, residency
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Scotland-based writers impacted by breast cancer (see guidelines)
Details here (download guidelines).
(Cove Park’s opportunities page is here and residencies page is here; they regularly list calls for residencies, both with a fee and without.)
The Kelpies Prize for Writing
This is for Scotland-based writers, for writers who want to start a career in children’s books. A couple of the submission requirements are the first five chapters of a book for children, either fiction or non-fiction, or a whole picture book story (see guidelines); as well as “A short piece of writing (1,000–3,000 words) for children that begins with: “It seemed like such an ordinary day…” OR “I opened the door and found…”. They are looking for work for children ages 3 to 13. They do not want works for young adults.
Value: £500, mentorship
Deadline: 28 February 2025
Open for: Scotland-based writers
Details here and here (you can download the guidelines).
(They also have a prize for illustration.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.