Arts Richmond Annual SWAN AWARD 2025/2027
Arts Richmond Annual SWAN AWARD 2025/2027
The Nominations for the Annual SWAN Awards have been announced.
You can now download the list of all nominees below.
The Nomination Evening will be held at The Exchange Twickenham on Thursday 20th August at 6 pm. Where the Mayor of Richmond will hand out the nomination certificates. If you have been nominated and wish to attend, please get in touch with info@artsrichmond.org.uk
The event is free for Nominees only and/or their representative.
Child nominees will be able to bring a parent and/or guardian
The Drama Party featuring the presentation of the SWANs will be held at The Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington, on Saturday 12th September all welcome; tickets can be purchased: https://landmarkartscentre.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173665042
Arts Richmonds Literature Festival 2026
Arts Richmond Literature Festival November 2026
The Arts Richmond Literature Festival is back this November with a fantastic new line-up.
Wednesday 4th November: Award-winning Elly Griffiths will be talking about her crime writing, focusing on her latest DI Ali Dawson title, The Killing Time.
Wednesday 11th November: Alwyn Turner, historian and writer, explores Britain’s trauma, resilience and identity in A Shellshocked Nation: Britain between the Wars.
Wednesday 18th November: Andrew Lownie will be discussing privilege, scandal and royal life in his Sunday Times bestseller, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.
Wednesday 25th November: The world-renowned cellist, Julian Lloyd Weber, recounts his family and artistic life in his fascinating autobiography, Bows and Arrows.
All events will be held at The Exchange Twickenham, who this year will be running the box office for us. For each event, the doors open at 7 pm, and the talks start at 7.30 pm
There will be a chance after each talk to be part of a Q&A, and our authors will be more than happy to sign their books for you after the presentation.
Arts Richmond's Young Writers festival 2026
Arts Richmond Young Writers Festival 2026
ARTS RICHMOND YOUNG WRITERS FESTIVAL 2026/27
Arts Richmond’s annual writing competition for all young people in Richmond.
Deadline for entries: Friday 4th December 2026.
Arts Richmond Young Writers Festival is open to all young people who either live or attend schools or clubs in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames. It is a chance to demonstrate writing skills, specifically short stories or poems.
Entries are judged in four age groups with prizes for all winning entries. In addition, the shortlisted entrants from all the age groups are invited to a gala awards event at The Exchange Theatre in Twickenham on Sunday 21st March 2027 where their work is performed on the stage by a group of young drama students. This involves the poetry and short stories written by around 40 pupils.
We also produce and sell a professionally printed anthology of all the shortlisted pieces of work.
Entry Rules:
We have four themes this year – ‘That Made Me Laugh’, ‘The Secret Door’, A Memorable Experience’ & ’If I Could Fly’. You can choose one of these themes to write a short story which can by any length up to 500 words, or a poem with a maximum of 25 lines. We are very happy to receive shorter pieces of work. One entry per pupil. These themes should not be used as the title, please use your own creative title.
All work must be original and exclusively the entrant’s own work – no AI please!
Please do not write your name on the work with names identified will be disqualified.
Entries must be in typed format. Hand-written entries will be disqualified.
Entries will be judged in the following categories:
School Years 4 and under
School Years 5 and 6
School Years 7 and 9
School Years 10 and 11
Entries to be sent by the pupil’s school or club to:
Arts Richmond Young Writers Festival
ETNA Community Centre Room 21
13 Rosslyn Road
Twickenham]TW1 2AR
Or email: YWentries@artsrichmond.org.uk