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Submission Form Below

Take your chance to tell everyone what you really think. We’re listening…

The Art is… “Fire in my Life” Creative Writing Competition

1. The Art is… festival in conjunction with The Weekly Advertiser and Ace Radio present the Fire in my Life Creative Writing Competition. The Festival theme is Art is… FUNdamental and the focus for 2023 is on the element Fire.

2. The best submissions will be promoted and published and thereby delivered to 22,500 homes across the Wimmera, links put on the TWA and Art is… festival websites and converted into audio versions which will be published as podcasts using the voices of Ace Radio broadcasting personalities. There is an open prize and one for youth (under 18).

3. Participants are encouraged to write a short (500-750 words) thought piece on what the topic “Fire in my Life” means to them. You could write about Bushfire, regenerative fire, creative fire, or somewhere you have been where that location in connection to fire resonates and is special to you. Or anything else that springs to mind. All approaches are welcome. References or other academic elements are not required.

   4. ​Submit your entry by uploading it via the form BELOW.

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If you have any trouble with the technical requirements then please email your enquiry to admin@artis.wimmera.com.au

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The Fire in my Life Creative Writing Competition is judged by the Chief editor of The Weekly Advertiser, Jessica Grimble. All judging is final and no correspondence regarding it will be entered into. See full terms and conditions, here.

“We really wanted to have creative writing as part of our festival and a thought piece - "Fire in my Life” and what that might mean to an author - seems the most accessible form of literature. An easy form of writing and where everyone has something to say,” said Festival Manager Alistair Shaw.

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“It’s not academic, not an essay, no references required; it’s not constrained as a form like poetry or short stories are… although poetry and short stories would also be accepted, and welcomed. Just write what you think about what you want.”

“What does any author want more than to be read? The Weekly Advertiser goes to 22,500 homes across the Wimmera and a prize of being chosen and published is a significant one. I love that they’re going to make them into podcasts too, with those beautiful voices that they have on the radio, making the thoughts into sounds.”

“Our festival has adopted a theme for the next few years that acknowledges that Art is… FUNdamental, and FUN is core to that. We are also focusing on one of the elements each year, in 2023 that’s FIRE, and our shows, our visual arts, our commissioned installations, and our performances are tied into that theme and that element.”

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Entry is simple. You respond to the theme, produce between 500 and 750 words, and then upload your work to the Art is… website by 11.59pm on the 7th of May. They’ll be judged and the top pieces will be published. There’s a category for youth, there’ll be seven works podcasted and published, and one that is acknowledged as an over-all winner. Participants need a connection with the Wimmera (defined as The Weekly Advertiser’s distribution area), and to be under 18 when the competition closes if they want to enter the youth category.

Any questions can be submitted on the entry page below or emailed to admin@artis.wimmera.com.au

The Art is… festival will be taking place from 26th may to 4th of June. It takes place on the traditional lands of the Wotjobaluk, Wergaia, Jupagalk, Jaadwa and Jadawadjali peoples, and the festival acknowledges that those lands were never ceded. We pay our respects to elders past present and emerging in words and through our activities.