Competitions
International Competitions
Shortlists Revealed
Click on each of the four categories below to reveal the shortlists of potential winners in this year’s competitions. Congratulations to those who have been selected, and many thanks to all the many talented writers who entered.
You can now also follow our new Competitions Instagram account: wellsfestivalcompetitions
Poetry Reading and Prize Giving 2025 Galleries
Competition Archive
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2025 Short Story Results
Congratulations to Myra Scott for her winning entry Along Came a Spider in the Short Story Competition. Our thanks go to the shortlist team and to Judith Heneghan, our 2025 Short Story Judge. Without our judges we wouldn’t be able to run the competitions. The winning entries can be downloaded and enjoyed from the table…
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2025 Book for Children Results
Congratulations to Mel Darbon for her winning entry Owl in the Attic in the Book for Children Competition. Our thanks go to the shortlist team and to Fleur Hitchcock, our 2025 Short Story Judge. Without our judges we wouldn’t be able to run the competitions.
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2025 Young Poets Results
Congratulations to Benjamin Foxcroft for his winning entry, A Field Guide to Focus, in this year’s Young Poets Competition. A Field Guide to Focus my body’s a room with every light on.a radio tuned to all stations at once.i’m trying to sit stillbut my thoughts spin chairs. in year seven, i learnedhow to pretend i…
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2025 Open Poetry Results
Congratulations to Sharon Black for her winning entry Dinger, Short for Schrödinger in the Open Poetry Competition. Dinger, Short for Schrödinger My cat is an oracle, a quiet master of the lounge.He insinuates great wisdom in his black velvet peacoat,white silk cravat grazing the floor. All four legsare tucked underneath so he occupies the ruglike…