The top five entries in the adult and 12-18 categories will win a copy of Ten Poems of Kindness volume 1 or volume 2, and the top five entries in the 5-11 category will win a copy of Gift of the Old One, all of which have been very generously donated by Candlestick Press. We’ll also publish them on our website.
Please do share this info with anyone you think would like to take part.
Gearing up for the celebrations of this year’s World Book Day on 7 March 2024, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is inviting children with a vision impairment to submit a piece of creative writing for its World Book Day writing competition.
The final competition winners will be judged by multi- award-winning children’s writer Sir Michael Morpurgo – author of books including War Horse and Private Peaceful. The overall winner will receive ten signed copies of Michael Morpurgo’s books.
Writing submissions must be on the theme of ‘adventure’. Taking the lead from RNIB’s motto, ‘See differently’, the charity wants to celebrate different ways of seeing, sensing and taking part in an adventure that children have been on, or that they can imagine.
No previous experience of creative writing is required and RNIB is keen to receive submissions from as many young people aged 5-12 as possible.
Writing and being creative is hugely beneficial and enjoyable for everyone, especially when going through big life-changes such as growing up.
Hearing the unique perspectives of young writers who have a vision impairment will be a real privilege and I can’t wait to read the fabulous work that I’m sure will be created. We are delighted that Michael Morpurgo has agreed to pick the winner for us as part of his support for RNIB’s World Book Day celebrations.
Competition Rules
The competition is open to any child or young person between the ages of 5-12 years with a vision impairment in the UK.
The competition runs from 9am on 1 January 2024, to midnight 18 February 2024.
Send in an original piece of writing up to 500 words in a Word document, MP3 audio or MP4 video, via email.
The piece of writing must be based on the theme ‘Adventure’.
Submissions must be in English.
The use of AI, such as ChatGPT is not permitted.
One submission per author: this will be the first entry emailed to us.
It was a full house at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Saturday for Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Stories and Scran event.
Guests braved plunging temperatures to enjoy a delicious afternoon tea provided by Scran Academy and to hear a rich variety of stories and poems from EIBF’S Citizen programme participants.
Hosted by EIBF’s Ryan Van Winkle, the packed programme also included brilliant contributions from authors Kate Foster and Douglas Johnstone, and there was another welcome opportunity to see the touching documentary produced by North Edinburgh Arts’ Adult Drama Group.
Yes, it may have been freezing outside but there was a warm welcome and a cosy atmosphere in the local community centre. A real winter warmer!
£5/£3 (Concession/NEA Members) including an afternoon tea
Come along to this special community celebration bringing together local voices with authors and artists from across Scotland.
Savour a sumptuous afternoon-tea provided by the Scran Academy (included with your ticket) and hear brilliant new writing from local people who have taken part in Edinburgh International Book Festival‘s ‘Citizen’ alongside special guests including Kate Forster and Doug Johnstone.
This year’s event showcases the diverse voices and creative talent from local groups including a film from the North Edinburgh Drama Group and the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival has announced Stories and Scran will take place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd December as part of the third season of Citizen Winter Warmer events: a community celebration bringing together local voices and authors and artists.
Audiences are invited to savour a sumptuous 3-course meal provided by the Scran Academy (included in the price of the ticket) and hear new writing from local people who have taken part in the Citizen project.
This year’s first event will take place at Fisherrow Centre in Musselburgh and will showcase the diverse voices and creative talent from local groups including illustrations from students at Edinburgh College of Art and the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group and The Citizen Collective. Special guests include Chitra Ramaswamy.
This will be followed on Saturday 2nd November with another Stories and Scran Winter Warmer event in North Edinburgh.
Join us at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre for tasty food and brilliant storytelling in a heart warming event at the heart of the community.
Savour a sumptuous afternoon-tea provided by Scran Academy (included with your ticket) and hear new writing from local people alongside special guests including including Kate Foster and Doug Johnstone.
This year’s North Edinburgh event showcases the diverse voices and creative talent from local groups including a film from the North Edinburgh Drama Group and the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group.
To celebrate the upcoming National Poetry Day on 5th October 2023, we invite kids and teens to enter Stockbridge Library’s Poetry Contest.
The theme this year is Refuge. No rules! Write a poem of any style or length. You decide! Drop it in the poetry contest box at the library and win prizes!
Entries are open from Friday 1st Sept to Saturday 30th Sept 2023
CITIZEN ADULT WRITERS’ FINAL PERFORMANCE AT BOOK FESTIVAL TONIGHT
As a charitable non-profit making organisation, the work of the Book Festival stretches far beyond the month of August. Indeed, our Communities Programme runs year-round, focused on inspiring and empowering people of all ages and backgrounds.
Our City, Our Stories is an outpouring of this year-round work: an event created both for and by those taking part in the Communities Programme.
This inspiring, recurring, and FREE event showcases new writing from both professional and non-professional writers across our Citizen project (and other community-based groups including Intercultural Youth Scotland and Open Book).
The stories performed make up a collective love letter to Edinburgh.
The final Our City, Our Stories session of this year’s Book Festival takes place this evening at 6.15. We’d love to see you there!
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL’s COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME
‘celebrating the diverse voices, stories and talent of local people, from across the city and beyond’ – NOELLE COBEN, EIBF Communities Programme Director
As a charitable non-profit making organisation, the work of the Book Festival stretches far beyond the month of August. Our Communities Programme runs year-round and isfocused on inspiring and empowering people of all ages and backgrounds.
Our dedicated team work closely with local organisations to create tailored events and activities for a range of community groups throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.
This year we have:
developed a new partnership with The Ripple Project to bring monthly author events to their social club for older adults
worked with young people and staff from NHS Lothian’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) on a three-day creative writing and illustration project
facilitated sessions with our Writer in Residence, Chris Barkley, for young people at The Alternative School at Spartans Community Football Academy
… and so much more.
As an outpouring of this year-round work, we run a series of events during the Festival that have been created both for and by those taking part in the programme. We can’t wait to share them with you!
STORIES AND SCRAN
Stories and Scran – Mon 14 Aug | 19:30 – 20:45
Stories and Scran returns for its fourth year – a joyful event celebrating the dynamic and thought-provoking work created by our Citizen participants.
The evening includes a sweet snack provided by Scran Academy (a catering social enterprise based in North Edinburgh) and readings and performances from local groups across the city.
Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.
LETTERS OF HOPE
Letters of Hope – Mon 21 Aug | 19:00 – 20:00
What would you tell an outsider about where you live? What hopeful things would you write to your future self?
These were two creative questions our writer in residence, Chris Barkley, has been exploring with young people from the Spartans Alternative School.
Featuring short film, music, and readings, this event celebrates the diverse voices and creative talent of local young people.
Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.
OUR CITY, OUR STORIES
Our City, Our Stories – Various dates | 18:15 – 19:15
Our City, Our Stories is an inspiring, recurring event, showcasing new writing from both professional and non-professional writers across our Citizen project (and other community-based groups including Intercultural Youth Scotland and Open Book).
Join to hear them perform their stories: a collective love letter to Edinburgh.
These events are free.
RETURN TO PLANET CITIZEN
Return to Planet Citizen – Sat 26 & Sun 27 Aug
Explore the weird, wonderful world of Planet Citizen in this multi-media installation. You’ll find artifacts, writing, and impressions of a planet as far away as imagination can take you.
Return to Planet Citizen was created by pupils from St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School and Tynecastle High School in collaboration with professional artists. Join free 20-minute tours of Planet Citizen every 30 minutes (last tour 15:30).
This event is free.
Beyond the Book Festival Village …
Aware that not everyone can attend Book Festival events in person, our Communities Team work closely with partners and institutions to bring events to groups who might otherwise be excluded. This is thanks largely to the support of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
This August, author/illustrators Rob Biddulph and Nadia Shireen will visit the wards of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, for instance,and writers including Jenni Fagan, Doug Johnstone, and Alan Bissett will visit six prisons across Scotland.
We hope this newsletter has given you a taster for some of the amazing work our Communities Programme are involved in.
The Citizen Writing Group meets online every week under the guidance of Communities writer in residence Eleanor Thom and, with life after lockdown returning to something like normal, have recently met in-person at two lively sessions at Musselburgh’s Fisherrow Centre and Granton Hub at Madelvic House.
Three writers – Nandini, Janet and I – were recorded during August’s Edinburgh International Book Festival at Edinburgh College of Art, where the Citizen Writers Group performed a selection of writing at the popular Stories and Scran event. The group’s work was also showcased in One Day Ticket, an ensemble piece performed by actors.
