The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition

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The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition encourages people to explore mental health and wellbeing by writing short pieces of prose and poetry.

31/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

6. Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas would probably have missed the deadline, found the deadline in a coat pocket two weeks later, then written something magnificent on the back of a receipt in Swansea.

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition welcomes every kind of writer: the organised, the chaotic, the midnight scribbler, the notebook hoarder, and the person convinced they “aren’t really a writer”, so whether you have your own boathouse overlooking the estuary, or you write on your knee on the bus, get an entry in!

For more information, email [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

30/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

5. Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath may have understood better than most that thoughts can crowd a person’s mind to the point of madness. She wouldn’t claim that writing heals everything, but sometimes, it can set free thoughts and emotions that might otherwise remain locked in silence.

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition encourages writers to explore mental health and wellbeing through stories, poetry and creative expression.

For more information, email [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

29/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

4. Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde would almost certainly have claimed he never entered competitions, and then been delighted when he was named as one of our finalists, saying he’d forgotten he’d entered! He might also have pointed out that mental wellbeing is far too important to be discussed solemnly all the time.

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition invites writers to explore mental health and wellbeing with truth, courage, humour or heartbreak.

For more information, email [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

28/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

3. Shakespeare

Shakespeare would probably have entered our competition three times under false names, writing a funny short story about London anxiety, a tragic memoir documenting his struggles with poor mental health, and a deeply questionable sonnet sequence about burnout.

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition welcomes every kind of writer, from first-timers to old theatrical souls wrestling their thoughts by candlelight at 2am – all the madness, and the method in’t.

For more information, email [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

27/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

2. Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway wouldn't have overcomplicated things. He would have written the truest sentence that he could get down on the page, and then gone for another one, and more and more sentences, till he’d finished.

The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition asks writers to explore mental health and wellbeing through storytelling, poetry and memoir.

For more details, email [email protected] or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

26/05/2026

What if troubled writers from history could have entered the Ajuda Foundation Competition?

Day 1 Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf probably would have approved of a writing competition centred on mental health and wellbeing. A room of one’s own is all very well, but sometimes what people really need is permission to write what needs to be written, and The Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition invites writers everywhere to do exactly that.

To find out more, email [email protected] or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

21/05/2026

How are you all doing with your entries for the Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition 2026?

What do you mean, you haven't entered yet!

Don't worry, there's still time. Deadline's not till 31st August.

But you know what'll happen. You'll think, ohhhh, I've got aaaaages! And then all of a sudden, it's 28th August, and you'll start wishing that you had started thinking about it today. Now. So start thinking about it now. Don't leave it till the last minute!

For full details, email [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?fbclid=IwY2xjawK2SwBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBTaW9JbWlRVlpVVEVmeWk1AR73D-2IhonfkoWe1RbiDaIFr3zHCBn3zYhRwTlBdZhAebwmeKLcglZv7cTVMQ_aem_qE1vXvOUPCOfwXCYLxSvRg

05/03/2026

Have you got something to say on the subject of mental health and wellbeing?

This year's Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition is all about mental health and wellbeing. Maybe you've experienced a mental health challenge yourself. Maybe you've supported someone through a mental health issue. Please feel free to interpret the theme however you want, and write a short story, a poem or even a short memoir.

For full details, send an email to [email protected] or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/

15/01/2026

The 2026 Ajuda Foundation Creative Writing Competition is officially open for entries!

Find out more by sending an email to [email protected], or visit https://foundationcreativewriting.my.canva.site/?

Address

CF10 5DP
Cardiff
CF105DP

Website

https://ajudafoundation.org.uk/contact-us/

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