(Deadline May 1!) Z-Arts is happy to announce the 5th annual Z-Arts Writing Contest, sponsored by the Zion Canyon Arts and Humanities Council, with additional support from Form Tomorrow. Professional, freelance and all other writers are invited to submit entries for the designated theme: “Canyon Voices”.
Description of the Theme: “Canyon Voices”
For thousands of years the Zion Canyon has echoed with the sounds of life and nature, the wind and the rain and the thunder. Whether you are deep in the Narrows or high in the Navajo sandstone mountains, if you are very still you can hear the sounds and the voices of the canyon – but each of us hears something different. Is that a Canyon Wren flitting in a Cottonwood? The voice of an ancient people speaking through stone? A creaking wooden cart of pioneers on a dusty trail? Or if you are very quiet, can you hear the sound of your own heart, trying to tell you something you never knew? Listen carefully, not just with your ears, but your entire body and soul. What do you hear?
Contest Rules
- The contest is open to all residents of Washington County, UT.
- All entries must be previously unpublished and postmarked or received via email no later than May 1, 2013.
- In order for submissions to be read anonymously, the name of the author must only appear on the cover pages. Should the name of the author appear on any part of the actual text, the submission will be excluded from the contest.
- All submissions will be judged on writing skill, original thought and lyricism.
- See below for additional submission guidelines.
Divisions and Categories:
Adult Division (ages 19 and above)
- Adult Non-fiction Category: Essay, observation, journal excerpt, editorial, memoir
or excerpt from a longer piece (no more than 20 pages) - Adult Fiction Category: Short story or excerpt from a longer novel
(no more than 20 pages) - Adult Poetry Category: Poetic prose, free verse or traditional
(1-5 poems totaling no more than 10 pages)
Junior Division (ages 13-18)
- Junior Non-fiction Category: Essay, observation, journal excerpt, editorial, memoir
or excerpt from a longer piece (no more than 20 pages) - Junior Fiction Category: Short story or excerpt from a longer novel
(no more than 20 pages) - Junior Poetry Category: Poetic prose, free verse or traditional (1-5 poems totaling no more than 10 pages)
Elementary Division (ages 5-12)
- Short story, poetry or non-fiction Category: 1-5 poems and/or no more than 5 pages
Awards Ceremony
An Awards Ceremony will be planned to distribute the awards for First and Second Place in each of the categories. Each First Place winner will receive a $75.00 cash prize and each Second Place winner will receive a $50.00 cash prize.
Unless otherwise notified, acceptance of your award grants Z-Arts permission to post the entry in our newsletter, website, blog, facebook page or other online or printed form. Z-Arts does not retain the rights to the individual entry.
How to Submit:
All submissions should be submitted electronically as a word document or pdf format attachment. Alternatively, a printed copy may be submitted via US mail to the address at the bottom of this announcement. Entries must be double spaced and include a cover page. Each poem submitted must include a separate and individual cover page. All cover pages must include the following information:
- Name of the author
- Phone number
- Division and Category of submission
- e-mail address and/or mailing address
Cover pages will be removed for judging in order for submissions to be read anonymously. Should the name of the author appear on any part of the actual text, the submission will be excluded from the contest. The title and page number must be included in the header of each text page submitted. Send your submission to the following address: Z-Arts, PO Box 115, Springdale, UT 84767 or email: contest@zarts.org (Subject line: Writing Contest)
By Email:
Send submission as an attachment to: contest@zarts.org. Please use the Subject Line: Writing Contest
By Mail:
You may also send your printed submission by US mail to:
Z-Arts – Attn: Therese Feinauer & Niles Ritter
Literary Committee
P.O. Box 115
Springdale, UT 84767