About the Contest

The Arts Council of Westerville, Westerville Public Library and ThisWeek Westerville News invite writers of all ages to submit original works in any genre. First place winners will be published in the newspaper. All qualifying submissions will be published in a professionally bound book that will be available for checkout at the library and for purchase from the Arts Council.

This 11th annual writing contest is one of many events organized by the Arts Council to mark April as "Celebrate the Arts" month in Westerville.

Submissions were accepted from January 3 through March 1, 2017.

Read winning entries and view photos

Winners for 2017

The Celebrate the Arts Writing Contest winners have been announced.

Category: Grades K-2

1st Place: Bamboo's First Friend by Rosalie Mujic
2nd Place: The Adventures of Gadgetman! by Calvin Pang
3rd Place: Inside the Piano by Mira Shyamalan
Honorable Mention: The 3D Man by Brantley Johnsen

Category: Grades 3-5

1st Place: When I Wake Up This Morning by Megan Stevens
2nd Place: Vole for a Day by Katherine Zonner
3rd Place: We, the Topiaries by Daria Lesmerises
Honorable Mention: White by Sarah Sophia Boros

Category: Grades 6-8

1st Place: Tokidoki by Maeve O'Connell
2nd Place: Sacred World by Kaycee Johnston
3rd Place: Let's Get Sickening! by Nate Finn
Honorable Mention: Peaches by Jake Schorling

Category: Grades 9-12

1st Place: Simply Music by Nick Martz
2nd Place: Half a being by Hawa Diawara
3rd Place: Human Thought by Carissa Clark
Honorable Mention: Frederick Douglass by Christina Prokop

Category: Adults, Ages 18+

1st Place: Virgin Pool by Bryan Campbell
2nd Place: Perseverance by Angie Zielinski
3rd Place: Rainy Days by Hannah Haines
Honorable Mention: Bedtime by Linda Barr
Honorable Mention: The Happy Fish by Errol Zoog

Awards Reception & Published Works

1st place finishers for each level will be published in the local community newspaper, the ThisWeek Westerville News & Public Opinion (print version) in May. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and honorable mention entries will be published online. Note: Entries are subject to being excerpted due to content length.
All contest entries are published in a professionally bound book available for purchase through Lulu.com. A copy of the book can be borrowed from the library. Reserve now.