This new initiative celebrates emerging literary talent across the region and invites young writers to explore the theme, Reading Places.
Open to young people aged 11 to 18, the competition welcomes previously unpublished work in any genre or form. Entrants are encouraged to interpret the theme as creatively and boldly as they wish – whether through poetry, fiction, non fiction, or hybrid writing.
Submission guidelines:
Entries must be submitted by midnight on 30 April, 2026.
The theme Reading Places invites young writers to consider landscapes, meaningful locations, wayfinding, and regional identity. Submissions might imagine the future of a town or planet, celebrate a hometown in verse, or follow a character on a quest, adventure, or pilgrimage.
The organisers are eager to discover the region’s next great storytellers, poets, essayists, and journalists.
Councillor Chris Burden, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “Wolverhampton has a proud tradition of nurturing creativity, and this new award gives young people a powerful platform to express their voices.
“Reading and writing help us understand who we are and where we come from, and I’m thrilled that this competition will inspire the next generation to explore the places that shape them.”
Winning entries will be published in the Reading Places Anthology by Ripple Bed Press. Winners will also be invited to read their work at the anthology’s launch event and will receive a selection of books or vouchers.
To nurture creativity across the region, University of Wolverhampton lecturers Dr Kerry Hadley-Pryce and Dr R M Francis are offering free writing workshops to schools, sixth forms, and colleges throughout the submission period. Educators can enquire or book by emailing ripplebedpress@gmail.com.
