Entries are now invited for the 4th year of this very popular competition for both children and adults. The competition is co-organised with the English Speaking Union and the Scottish Poetry Library and supported by the Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust, the Scottish Arts Council and the Educational Institution of Scotland.
With the addition of the newly acquired Artist Rooms collection, there are even more exciting works of art to inspire and ignite the imagination. A selection of highlights from the collection can be seen in Online Collection.
Competition Guidelines and Rules
Who is the competition for? The competition is open to all. Entries will be placed in one of five categories, as follows:
- Category A - Under 12 years
- Category B - 12-15 years
- Category C - 16-18 years
- Category D - Unpublished adults
- Category E - Published adults
How do I know if I am a published or unpublished writer? You should enter in the published category if your work has been published by a third party in a book, magazine, pamphlet or newspaper.
What do I have to do? Write a short poem or piece of prose inspired by one of the works in the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland. The work may be selected from any of the NGS galleries (The National Gallery of Scotland, The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, The Dean Gallery, The Royal Scottish Academy, Duff House and Paxton House).
Images of many of the works can be accessed through Online Collection. Please ensure that the work selected is part of the National Galleries of Scotland's permanent collection (unfortunately a number of entries were disqualified last year on this account).
As a guideline, pieces should not be significantly over 1,000 words in length. Entries should be in the English language and typed with double spacing.
When, where and how do I send my entries? All entries must be submitted by Friday 23rd January 2009. Email development@esuscotland.org.uk. Please give your name and the required details on a separate final page of the attachment.
If you do not have email post to:
English-Speaking Union Scotland
23 Atholl Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH3 8HQ
A maximum of 5 entries can be submitted by any one person. Each submission should state clearly both within the email message and on a separate final page of the entry:
- Category entered A, B, C, D or E
- NAME of work that inspired the entry, NAME OF ARTIST and LOCATION OF ARTWORK
- Where work was viewed – name of gallery or online
- Name of entrant
- Address (for categories A, B and C please give both home address and name of contact teacher and school address of appropriate)
- Contact telephone number (both home and school)
- Email address (both home and school)
Entries cannot be returned and participants are strongly advised to keep a copy of their original work. Entrants consent to National Galleries of Scotland, English-Speaking Union and Scottish Poetry Library using the winning entries for any publicity or promotional activities.
Why should I enter? Ten awards will be made within each of the five categories - winner, two runners up and seven highly commended. Awards will be made as follows:
Highly Commended – public reading of the work (or extracts from the work) at a public event at the National Gallery of Scotland on Thursday 7th May 2009 with post event refreshments for invited guests.
Runners up – as above with the addition of free entry for two at all National Galleries of Scotland exhibitions for one year and two volumes of published work relating to art and poetry.
Winners – as above with the addition of winning work published in the Scotsman newspaper (the Scotsman reserve the right to edit).
The winner in the Unpublished Writers Category will also be offered a free place on a prestigious creative writing course. The winner in each school age category will be invited, with their entire class, to participate in a free guided tour and creative writing workshop at National Galleries of Scotland. There will be assistance with transport costs.
An Inspired? Get Writing! book, featuring the work of the winners and runners-up in the 2005/6 and 2006/7 competitions, has been published by the National Galleries of Scotland in association with SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). It is hoped that a second volume featuring the work of future winners and runners up will be published in 2009.
All adult entrants will be offered a year’s free membership of the English – Speaking Union.
The winners of the competition will be decided by a panel of judges appointed by the participating organisations. The decision of the judges will be final.
Results The results of the competition will be announced by Friday 10th April 2009, and will be published on this website, English Speaking Union and the Scottish Poetry Library websites.
Should you require any further information please contact the Playfair Eduction Officer, National Galleries of Scotland on 0131 624 6534 or email playfaireducation@nationalgalleries.org, John Duncan or Suzanne Ensom, English Speaking Union 0131 229 1528 or email director@esuscotland.org.uk and Lorna Irvine, Scottish Poetry Library 0131 557 2876 or email education@spl.org.uk
