Competition Terms

Seven Stories Writing Competition 2026 – Terms and Conditions

1.  Eligibility

•  The competition is open to writers of all ages and experience levels.
•  There is no residency requirement.
•  Gallery staff, members of the gallery's board of directors, and their immediate family members are eligible to enter, however, staff and board members are ineligible to accept any monetary prizes. 

2.  Submission Period

•  Submissions open: January 19, 2026 (12:01 a.m. EST)
•  Submissions close: February 21, 2026 (11:59 p.m. EST)
•  Late entries will not be accepted.

3.  Entry Rules

•  Stories must be original, previously unpublished (including on personal blogs, social
media, or self-published platforms), and entirely the work of the entrant.
•  Maximum length: 400 words (title and any subtitle do not count toward the word limit).
•  Stories must be clearly inspired by one of the seven designated artworks revealed by
the Gallery.
•  Indicate at the top of your entry which artwork (by number or title) inspired your story.
•  Entries must be submitted in English, in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format, 12-point font,
double-spaced (except for poetry-style entries, which may be single-spaced).
•  Include a cover page with your full name, mailing address, email address, phone
number, word count, and the title of your story. The story pages themselves must not
contain your name or any identifying information.

4.  How to Enter

•  Submit your entry online through the Art Gallery of Georgina website at: https://artgalleryofgeorgina.ca/products/7-stories

Submissions and entry fees can also be dropped off in-person at the Gallery during regular open hours. 

5.  Rights and Publication

•  By submitting, you grant the Art Gallery of Georgina the non-exclusive right to publish
your story in the 2026 Seven Stories limited-edition book (print and/or digital), on the
Gallery website, and in any promotional materials related to the project.
•  You retain copyright in your work. If your story is later published elsewhere, we
request (but do not require) that you acknowledge it first appeared in Seven Stories
2026, Art Gallery of Georgina.
•  All submitted stories will be included in the limited-edition book unless you explicitly
withdraw permission in writing before the book goes to print.

6.  Prizes and Recognition

For each of the seven artworks, three prizes will be awarded:

First Place: $150
Second Place: $75
Third Place: $50

This results in a total prize pool of $1,925 ($275 per artwork × 7 artworks).

Winners will be announced at an exhibition ceremony on March 15, 2026, at the Art Gallery of Georgina.

Every participating writer receives a complimentary one-year individual membership
to the Art Gallery of Georgina.

7.  Judging

•  Entries will be judged anonymously by a panel selected by the Gallery.
•  Stories will be evaluated and ranked separately for each artwork.
•  Decisions of the judges are final.

8.  General Conditions

•  The Gallery reserves the right to disqualify any entry that contains hate speech,
plagiarism, or material deemed inappropriate.
•  The Gallery is not responsible for lost, late, or misdirected entries.
•  Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Questions? Email sevenstories@artgalleryofgeorgina.ca
We can’t wait to read your story!