Birmingham Hippodrome and The Library of Birmingham have teamed up to search for the best young writing talent in the city.
With the producers of the musical Wicked, they have started a competition and judges will be looking for “short stories full of magic, mystery or a tale to capture the imagination”.
Young writers can write about any subject as long as it tells a clear and captivating short story.
The competition will be split into two age categories: 7 to 11, who should submit between 250 and 500 words, and 12 to 18, who should write 750 to 1,000 words.
A winner from each category will win a VIP day, with the chance to meet some of the cast of Wicked in the Library of Birmingham before taking their seats at the Hippodrome to see the musical.
Sara Rowell, the Library of Birmingham’s partnerships and marketing senior manager, said, “We’re delighted to partner with Birmingham Hippodrome for the Wicked Young Writers Award, which aims to encourage young creative writing talent in the city and region.
“Children and young people have the very best imaginations and we hope this competition—and the Wicked prize—will inspire them to let their natural story-telling abilities flow and get writing this summer.”
Entry forms can be downloaded from the Birmingham Hippodrome web site and are also available from the Library of Birmingham children’s library. Entries close at midnight on 9 July.
Wicked runs at the Hippodrome from Wednesday 9 July until Saturday 6 September.