By Ogova Ondego
Published September 19, 2014
Commonwealth Writers are calling upon writers to submit stories for their annual Commonwealth Short Story Prize contest.
Saying the deadline for submission is November 15, 2014 and that entry is free, Commonwealth Writers say that “Stories translated into English are also eligible” for consideration for the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
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“Each year, we select five winning writers from five different Commonwealth regions who share a total prize money of £15 000. The overall winner receives £5 000, one of the highest amounts for an international short story prize open to unpublished writers. Regional winners receive £2 500,” Commonwealth Writers say in a media statement released on September 15, 2014.”The Commonwealth Short Story Prize brings stories from new and emerging voices, often from countries with little or no publishing infrastructure, to the attention of an international audience. You don’t need an agent, just an internet connection to submit your unpublished story of 2000-5000 words.”
Stories are to be submitted via the online application form between September 15 and November 15, 2014.
Meanwhile, National Museums of Kenya (NMK) is calling upon creative people aged 18-25 years to participate in its annual National Heritage Art Competition on the theme, ‘Room for Giants: Art for Change’.
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The aim of the competition is “to help promote the role of art in enhancing wildlife conservation awareness” in Kenya.
NMK and its partners, Wild Life Africa (WLA), Ibuka and Maller, are appealing to the youth across Kenya to not just participate in the art contest but to also donate “your winning piece to raise funds for the conservation of wildlife.”
While participation is encouraged from artists living in all regions in Kenya, NMK says, the art created “must address conservation of wildlife.”
Forty artworks shall be selected from among the ones submitted for the national competition and exhibition. They will then be on a two-month show at NMK.
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“The grand prize is a fully sponsored world class experience of Kenya’s rich natural heritage in a top wildlife destination where the winner will spend quality time with an internationally-renowned artist in a two-week personalised art apprenticeship program; a unique combination of fun, heritage and art,” NMK says.
While the second prize will be a tour to Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve on the Kenyan Coast, the third prize shall be a voucher of KSh50 000 to purchase art materials.
“All the 40 young artists who will be selected for the national competition will also participate in an artist’s residency that will be facilitated by a team of East Africa’s top professional artists. The residency will happen at the end of the project and is aimed at providing the artists with a great opportunity for exposure and learning,” NMK says.
The deadline for art submission is November 7, 2014.
Artists interested in participating in the competition are advised to read the rules of entry listed here below:
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*The artist is free to capture any aspect of conservation of wildlife in his or her best way using visual arts.
*The contest is open to Kenyan youth aged 18-25 years
* The size of work created should range between 50cm x 50m and 100cm x 100cm
* The artist is free to use any material of choice that is durable and easy to transport
*Paintings on canvas should be stretched or framed, paintings on paper should be framed
*The created work should be submitted to Nairobi National Museum, Karen Blixen Museum, Fort Jesus Museum, Kisumu Museum, Kitale Museum, Wajir Museum, Nyeri Museum or Kenyatta House in Maralal
* The artworks selected will not be returned to the artists but will be sold during the gala night to raise funds for the conservation of wildlife
All participants will receive certificates of participation.
*The following details should be submitted with the artwork (stick the information at the back of the artwork):
-Full name of the artist, telephone contact, postal address and email
-A brief profile of the artist
-Title of the art work, and a description of maximum 100 words
-Medium used (state whether you have used oil paint, water colour, stone, wood etc)
-Indicate that the artwork is for Room for Giants: Art for Change competition and Exhibition 2014.
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