Funding

Grant · Self Funded

Program dates

TBA

Fellowship•Remote

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award

Aesthetica Magazine

Application Deadline

August 31, 2026

Official Page

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is an annual international literary prize run by Aesthetica Magazine, an art and culture publication based in York, United Kingdom. It runs two categories, Poetry and Short Fiction, and takes work on any theme. Entries are read by a panel drawn from publishing, including commissioning editors, magazine editors, poets and authors. The organisers describe the award as a search for innovation in form, concept and technique. Each category winner takes £2,500 together with a package of courses, memberships and subscriptions from British literary organisations. Winning and shortlisted work is published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which appears each December.

Benefits & funding

  • Total prize fund of £5,000: £2,500 for the Poetry winner and £2,500 for the Short Fiction winner.
  • Poetry winner — £2,500 in cash, plus two online masterclasses from Arvon; a course from the Poetry School; a six-week online course from Curtis Brown Creative; full membership to The Poetry Society; full membership to Litopia; a one-year print subscription to Granta; a one-year digital subscription to Mslexia; a one-year Deluxe subscription to The London Magazine.
  • Short Fiction winner — £2,500 in cash, plus a five-day Arvon at Home online writing week or evening course; a six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative; a consultation with the literary agency Redhammer Management; full membership to Litopia; a one-year print subscription to Granta; a one-year digital subscription to Mslexia; a one-year Deluxe subscription to The London Magazine.
  • Winning and shortlisted pieces are published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology and sold through the magazine’s shop.
  • Entrants keep the copyright in all work they submit.
  • Entry is paid: £12 for one poetry entry and £18 for one short fiction entry. Late entries cost £18 and £24.
  • An entrant who withdraws within 28 days of purchase is refunded in full.

Eligibility

  • Open to writers of any nationality and any age, with no country restriction.
  • Poetry entries run to a maximum of 40 lines.
  • Short fiction entries run to a maximum of 2,000 words.
  • Work on any subject is accepted; the award sets no theme.
  • Work already published, or entered in another competition, is accepted; earlier publication should be declared with the submission.
  • A translation is accepted when the original work is the entrant’s own and the translator is credited.
  • Multiple entries are allowed. Each work needs its own entry form and its own fee.

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

  1. 1
    Pick a category and buy an entry through the Aesthetica shop (£12 poetry, £18 short fiction).
  2. 2
    Receive the entry form by email after payment.
  3. 3
    Complete the entry form and attach the poem or story within the stated limits.
  4. 4
    Submit the form and the work by 31 August 2026. Late entries are taken until 6 September 2026 at the higher fee.
  5. 5
    Shortlisted writers are contacted in November 2026, and the winners are announced in December 2026.

Program timeline

  1. Entries open.

    1 December 2025

  2. Entry deadline.

    31 August 2026

  3. Late entry window at the higher fee.

    1-6 September 2026

  4. Shortlisted writers contacted.

    November 2026

  5. Winners announced and the winning and shortlisted work published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology.

    December 2026