lowry creative writing competition

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4 weeks left to enter the lowry’s creative writing challenge.

The Lowry in MediaCity is holding their annual Creative Writing Challenge aimed at celebrating children’s creativity and imagination.

There are just four weeks left for Greater Manchester children to enter in this competition that is aimed at children aged 7-11.

The Creative Writing Challenge (CWC) entries can include poetry, short stories and stage text.

The CWC will culminate in a special celebration event at The Lowry, Salford in June for shortlisted entries. Children will either perform their work themselves or have their work performed on their behalf.

The Lowry’s aim is for the challenge to be accessible to as many children as possible and will accept entries in a variety of formats including written format, voice recordings or video. The deadline for entries is Friday April 26 2024.

In each category, there will be a 1st place winner and runner-up, plus a special Founder’s Prize and a winner selected by a Children’s Panel.

All shortlisted children will receive feedback from the professional judging panel.

The year’s CWC will also feature a new children’s judging panel made up of members of the reading group from Little Hulton Library, as well as a new partnership with the University of Salford that will see a judging panel made up of students.

Last week saw pupils from St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Summerville Primary School and Christ Church CE Primary School visit The Lowry to get inspiration for their entries by watching the stage adaption of Onjali Rauf’s much-loved novel The Boy at the Back of the Class.

The Lowry supported the schools by providing transport and theatre tickets free of charge.

The Boy at the Back of the Class has been adapted for the stage by writer and broadcaster Nick Ahad, who is one of the judges of this year’s CWC.

Nick Ahad said: “Ever since I was a little boy, probably around the age of the children who came to see The Boy at the Back of the Class on tour, I’ve loved writing probably more than anything else.

“I remember the first stories I read and certainly the first ones I wrote and I vividly remember my first trip to the theatre. Those stories still mean so much to me. To think that some of the children who see The Boy at the Back of the Class might be inspired to write their own stories is a privilege greater than I can express. I’m so excited to see what they come up with.”

To find out more information on The Lowry’s Creative Writing Challenge, click here .

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New Creative Writing Challenge for Kids at The Lowry

The Lowry are incredibly excited to announce the brand new Creative Writing Challenge. Open to all Greater Manchester children in Key Stage 2 which aims to build children’s confidence and amplify their voices through creative writing.

Entries are open now and run until Friday 4th November 2022. This can be a great activity for children to unlock their creative potential this half term.

Children can enter , for example:

Poetry including spoken word, limericks & rap.
Story including fiction & short stories.
Stage Text including solo or group performance, plays for stage & radio.

Please email a digital copy of your Poetry, Story or Stage Text to [email protected] In the subject header please write – FAO The Lowry Creative Writing Challenge Include the following information in your email:

– Name and age of child
– Title of work
– Address of child
– Name of teacher, parent, carer, or guardian sending the work
– Name of school or if home educated
– Contact telephone number
– Contact email address

Alternatively, you can post your entries to ‘The Creative Writing Challenge’, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ. Please enclose a note with the information required as above.

Deadline for submissions – 12 Noon Friday 4 November 2022

Rules of Entry

– All Key Stage 2 children aged 8 – 11 from Greater Manchester (living or learning in the GM Region) are eligible to take part. – It’s advised that entries have a 500-word limit or 3-minute script limit. – Only one entry per child, per category (Categories are 1. Poetry 2. Story or 3. Stage Text) – If the entry is from a school, Teachers are welcome to submit an entry from more than one child in their class. – You will only be notified if your child is shortlisted. – The Lowry will be unable to return or keep submissions so please keep your own copy on entering. – By entering, you agree for the entry to be used in any associated publicity by The Lowry. – The shortlisted children agree to attend The Lowry on 7 December for a celebration event where their work will be presented on stage either by themselves or on their behalf

A celebration prize giving event will be held on Wednesday 7 December in The Lowry’s Quays Theatre, with winning entries being performed on stage either by the children who wrote them, or by someone else on their behalf

Children could win:

A chance to perform on The Lowry Quays Theatre Stage on 7 December 2022
Feedback from professionals on shortlisted works
Up to £50 of book tokens
A professional illustration of your creative writing for you to keep
Tickets to a show at The Lowry for the winners and their families or friends

For more information and learning resources, please visit – www.thelowry.com/creativewritingchallenge

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Young Writers Perform Their Award-Winning Words On Stage at The Lowry

The 21 shortlisted stories, poems or playscripts were performed on the Quays stage at The Lowry.

The winners of The Lowry's second annual Creative Writing Challenge were announced at a special celebration event hosted by acclaimed Manchester-based poet, performer and writer Tony Walsh.

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Selected from over 600 entries, the 21 shortlisted stories, poems or playscripts were performed on the Quays stage at The Lowry (Salford) to a packed audience of proud family, friends, teachers, and supporters.

Open to children aged 7-11 (Key Stage 2) from across Salford and Greater Manchester The Lowry's Creative Writing Challenge has been developed to showcase the talent and potential of children from across Greater Manchester and helping to raise creativity and confidence.

Judges included - writer and broadcaster, Nick Ahad; actor and author, Samantha Giles; actor Carla Henry; Programme Manager, National Literacy Trust, Mike Leyland, poet, performer and writer, Tony Walsh, members of staff from the Lowry Team, a student panel from the University of Salford, and a children's panel.

Winners and runners-up include - In the Poetry category - (winner) Beatrice Gildea (age 11) for I'd be a good girl and (runner-up) Olive Bridge (age 8) for A Mystery Noise. In the Playscript category - (winner) Henry Amella (age 9) for Snap and (runner-up) Bilal Sultan (age 9) for Trip to Cyprus. And in the Short Story category – (winner) Imogen Cawsey (age 11) for Black Hood and (runner-up) Kaio Devine dos Santos (age 8) for The Diary of Lost Stories.

Two special Founders Prizes were awarded to Eloise Blore (age 11) for The Troll Behind the Glass Hand and Zelda River Whiteley (age 8) for It's OK to be Different.

This year, a new Children's Choice Award was selected by members of the Chatterbooks reading group at Walkden Library. Winners of the first Children's Choice award were Pizza Falling from the Sky! by Ivy Ann Winslow Pownall (age 8) and The Shield Maiden by Marvi Muzafar (age 10).

Other shortlisted entries who performed on the night included: Pippa Mason (age 9), Jemima Maiotuka (age 10), Mason Sharrock (age 11), Melody Williams (age 8), Chloe Napier (age 10), Daisy Hatton (age 10) and Siena Scruton (age 10), Oliver Dimza-Jones (age 10), Lucian Junior O'Neill (age 7), Thomas Carson (age 10), Faith Douglas (age 11), and Ayesha Munawar (age 10).

All winners, runners up and shortlisted children each received national books tokens and a certificate. Winners also received tickets for them and their family/friends to see a show at The Lowry.

Beatrice Gildea winner In the Poetry category said “I absolutely loved it. I didn't want it to end. I'm proud of myself and I'm very happy that other people liked my poem. I hope it made people think a little bit.”

The competition has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Beryl Jones, who along with her husband Trevor is a Gold Patron of The Lowry.

Jenny Riding, Director of Learning and Engagement at The Lowry said “It was fantastic to see what progress we have made in just the second year of The Lowry's Creative Writing Challenge and wonderful to see the young people demonstrating so much creativity and performing with such confidence on our stage. 

“A huge thank you for the continued generosity of our Gold-patrons Beryl and Trevor Jones , and the National Literacy Trust, as well as new partners the University of Salford, Salford Community Leisure and Williams BMW. We are also incredibly grateful to all of the judges for their time, enthusiasm and support as well as all the brilliant teachers and artists we work with across Salford and beyond.”

Beryl Jones Founder of The Lowry Creative Writing Challenge, who along with her husband Trevor is a gold patron of The Lowry said “I am passionate and dedicated to children's creativity and removing any barriers they may experience to enjoying and creating great literature and performance. Thank you to the team here at The Lowry for developing the second year of The Creative Writing Challenge and I look forward to working with you to grow it in the future.”

The Creative Writing Challenge is delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, an independent charity dedicated to raising literacy levels across the UK, University of Salford, and Salford Community and Leisure. The Lowry is also grateful to valued partner Williams BMW whose support has been integral in this second year of the Creative Writing Challenge benefiting the delivery of The Lowry's extensive outreach programme to primary schools across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Alexandra Cook , Development Director at Williams “We have enjoyed working with the renowned arts centre and the esteemed panel of judges to celebrate the young writing talent in the region. This Challenge has unlocked the power of words, promoted the magic of storytelling, and fuelled the creative journeys of even the youngest writers. We are delighted that our support has helped spread the word about the Challenge and encouraged more children than ever to enter the challenge.”

The Creative Writing Challenge is a 5-year project. Related to the competition a targeted support scheme is available to primary schools in Salford and Greater Manchester. Any schools interested in finding out more should email [email protected] .

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