Burnham Book Festival launches 2026 competitions for writers and artists

Burnham Book Festival has launched its annual anthology competition this week, inviting writers and artists across Somerset and North Somerset to submit short stories, poems and cover artwork for the 2026 edition.

All shortlisted entries will be published in the festival’s 2026 anthology. Writers can submit up to three poems and three short stories, while artists may enter up to three cover designs.

The contest is free to enter and includes three age categories:
• 11 & Under – £50 prize
• 12 to 18 – £50 prize
• Adult (19+) – £100 prize

Event coordinator Lewis Coleman told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The competition is one of our favourite parts of the festival. We’re always so impressed with the range and talent of the entries.”

He added that the contest is “a wonderful opportunity for local writers and artists to be part of this growing celebration of creativity in our community.”

The competition opened on 16th March and closes at midnight on 3rd August, with the results announced during the festival in September.

Burnham Book Festival returns for its fifth year this autumn. It will open with an evening event featuring local bestselling author Damien Boyd on Friday 16th October, followed by a full day of workshops, talks and opportunities to meet local writers on Saturday 17th October. Full programme details will be released later in the year.

Full terms & condition for the writing contest are available here and the cover contest is available here.