Competitions and Submissions

Deadline: Tue 5 May 2026
Location: UK

The Creative Future Writers' Award is the only free to enter national writing competition for all underrepresented writers - those who face barriers due to health, mental health, identity or social circumstance. Read more...

Deadline: Wed 6 May 2026
Location: UK

The supercharged bursary scheme offers 10 places each year to mid-level comedy creatives from across the UK; a mix of writers, writer/performers, producers, directors, and editors who would like to further their careers in scripted comedy. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 8 May 2026
Location: UK

Ashdown Forest has long been the source of inspiration for many a writer and artist and is famously the setting of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories by A. A. Milne. This year, we’re celebrating the Centenary of these classics. The theme of our third annual poetry competition is friendship. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 8 May 2026
Location: UK

The British Society of Magazine Editors has teamed up with award-winning journalist and BSME Columnist of the year, Caitlin Moran, to launch a bold new initiative: an annual prize to discover and support brilliant young writing talent. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 8 May 2026
Location: Scotland

This group residency is for unpaid adult carers with creative practices based in Scotland. The residencies are fully funded and provide supported time for unpaid carers to reconnect with their creative work and focus on new projects. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 8 May 2026
Location: International

The Irish Writers Centre International Debut Novel Competition is an annual literary competition that awards twelve unpublished novelists with the opportunity to pitch their novels to leading publishers and literary agents. Read more...

Deadline: Sun 10 May 2026
Location: International

Literary agency Janklow & Nesbit UK has launched its first ever Translation Prize which will be awarded to a superb translation of fiction into English. Read more...

Deadline: Mon 11 May 2026
Location: England: South West, South East (excluding London), Midlands or North

Four BFI NETWORK Hubs have teamed up with the ScreenSkills Animation Skills Fund to create this new lab for writers to develop, experiment and expand their skills and understanding of storytelling in animation. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 15 May 2026
Location: International

The Montreal International Poetry Prize is committed to encouraging the creation of original works of poetry, to building international readerships, and to exploring the world’s Englishes. Read more...

Deadline: Sun 17 May 2026
Location: Online

Inkspot’s first Flash Fiction Short Story Competition invites flash fiction short stories, with a word count not exceeding 500 words, from writers from anywhere in the world. Short scripts are also welcome. £500 for 500. Read more...