Topic: Open
Deadline for application: Friday, January 15, 2027

Awards (Adult)
First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $150
Honorable Mentions: $100
Online Application for Adult Essay Contest

Awards (High School)
First Place: $250 and published in Bethesda Magazine
Second Place: $150
Third Place: $75
Honorable Mentions: $50
Online Application for High School Essay Contest

All winning essays will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine websites and will be honored at a special event during the Local Writer’s Showcase in March 2027.

Requirements
Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Your essay must be your original work. Any essays containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified.  Previously published essays are not eligible for Adult Submissions. Use of AI tools like ChatGPT for the contest will result in disqualification.

Eligibility
Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George’s) and Virginia (Arlington/Alexandria and Fairfax) are eligible.  Students must attend a public or private school or reside in Washington, D.C. or Montgomery County, MD to be eligible.  Only one entry per person.

Judges: 

TBA

Notification: Applicants will be notified in February 2027.

Copyright
All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the essays they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting essays, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted essays (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP Web site, on other Web sites, and in other media.

Topic: Open
Deadline for application: Friday, January 8, 2027
Online Application for Short Story Contest – Coming Soon

Awards (Adult)
First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $150
Honorable Mention: $100

Awards (High School)
First Place: $250 and published in Bethesda Magazine
Second Place: $150
Third Place: $75
Honorable Mention: $50

All winning short stories will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine websites and will be honored at a special event during the Local Writer’s Showcase in March 2027.

Requirements
Stories must be limited between 1,500 and 2,500 words. Only one entry per person permitted.

Eligibility
Residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (20015 and 20016 ZIP codes) are eligible.
The contest will take entries in two categories: High School (grades 9-12) and Adult (ages 18+).

Judges
TBA

Poetry Application

The Bethesda Urban Partnership & The Writer’s Center have partnered on the 2027 Poetry Contest. All Poetry Contest winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer’s Showcase in March 2027.

Topic: Open
Deadline for application: Friday, January 15, 2027

Awards (Adult)
First Place – $350, published on The Writer’s Center’s “First Person Plural” blog, and a free class and membership to The Writer’s Center.
Second Place – $250
Third Place – $150
Honorable Mention – $75 (Up to three Honorable Mentions will be selected)
Online Application for Poetry Contest – Adults 

Awards (High School)
Young Poet: $75 (Up to three Young Poets will be selected)
Online Application for Poetry Contest – High School

All winning poems will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and The Writer’s Center websites and will be honored at a special event during the Local Writer’s Showcase in March 2027.

Requirements
Poems cannot be more than 21 lines of text. Do not double space your entry. Only one entry per person. Your poem must be your original work and must be currently unpublished. Any poems containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. Use of AI tools like ChatGPT for the contest will result in disqualification.

Eligibility
Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George’s) and Virginia (Arlington/Alexandria and Fairfax) are eligible. Students must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C.. Only one entry per person.

Judge

Douglas Powell/Roscoe Burnems

Notification: Applicants will be notified in February 2027.

Copyright
All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the poems they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting poems, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted poems (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP Web site, on other Web sites, and in other media.