£100 Orwell Youth Prize Writing Competition
- Organization: The Orwell Foundation
- Type: Competition
- Location: Global
- Deadline: April 28, 2027
- Age: 11 to 19
- Funding: No Funding
The Orwell Foundation runs the Orwell Youth Prize, which uses George Orwell's writing to get secondary school students writing about their own ideas and experiences. This year's theme is 'Acts of Courage', and you can respond in any form you like, from journalism and essays to poems, plays and video game design concepts. Everyone who enters by 3 March 2027 is offered personalised feedback on their draft before the final deadline. **What you get:** - Free personalised feedback on a first draft from experienced volunteer readers, if you enter by 3 March 2027 - For winners: a £100 cash prize, a certificate, and Orwell's complete works for you and for your school, courtesy of Penguin Books - One winning entry published in print in The Observer, and all winning entries published digitally - Selected winners invited to join The Observer's Journalism School for 2027 - Winners and runners up invited to the Orwell Prize ceremony in London in June 2027 and to join the Orwell Youth Fellows - Runners up receive a copy of Orwell's essays and a certificate **What you'll do:** - Write a piece on the theme 'Acts of Courage' in any form, up to 1,000 words (Years 7 to 11) or 1,500 words (Years 12 and 13) - Optionally submit a first draft by 3 March 2027 for feedback, then revise and submit your final entry - Submit online as an anonymous PDF titled with your entry's name **Key dates:** - Feedback deadline: 3 March 2027, 23:59 BST - Final entries close 28 April 2027, 23:59 BST - Winners announced at the Orwell Prize ceremony in London, June 2027 **What you get:** - Free personalised feedback on a first draft if you enter by 3 March 2027 - Winners: £100 cash prize, a certificate, and Orwell's complete works for you and your school (Penguin Books) - One winning entry published in print in The Observer; all winning entries published digitally - Selected winners invited to The Observer's Journalism School for 2027 - Winners and runners up invited to the June 2027 ceremony in London and to join the Orwell Youth Fellows - Runners up: a copy of Orwell's essays and a certificate **What you'll do:** - Write on the theme 'Acts of Courage' in any form, up to 1,000 words (Years 7 to 11) or 1,500 words (Years 12 and 13) - Optionally submit a draft by 3 March 2027 for feedback, then submit a final entry - Submit online as an anonymous PDF **Key dates:** - Feedback deadline: 3 March 2027, 23:59 BST - Final entries close 28 April 2027, 23:59 BST - Winners announced at the Orwell Prize ceremony, central London, June 2027 **More information:** - Full rules: https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/about/terms-and-conditions/ - Entry form: https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/about/enter-the-orwell-youth-prize/ - Questions: admin@orwellyouthprize.co.uk
