BlankIsYours Writing & Art Competition 2026 for Youth Aged 12–21 [CAD 100 Prize; Free Entry]: Submit by Sep 30

BlankIsYours is inviting young writers and artists worldwide to participate in its Writing and Art Competition 2026 for Zine 01: ThisCityIsYours.

Young people aged 12–21 years can submit original writing, traditional art or digital art responding to one of five official prompts. Entry is free, and all submissions will be considered for print or digital publication.

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Click here to read the guidelines and enter the competition.

BlankIsYours Writing and Art Competition 2026: Highlights

Organiser: BlankIsYours
Competition: ThisCityIsYours Writing and Art Competition
Eligibility: Youth aged 12–21
Geographical eligibility: Worldwide
Categories: Writing and art
Art formats: Traditional and digital art
Entry fee: Free
Maximum submissions: Five across both categories
First prize: CAD 100
Second prize: CAD 50
Third prize: CAD 30
Publication: Every entry will be considered, but publication is not guaranteed
AI-generated work: Prohibited
Deadline: September 30, 2026
Submission mode: Online

About the Competition

BlankIsYours is a student-led multimedia magazine that provides young people with a platform to discuss issues affecting their lives and communities.

The competition welcomes personal, creative and critical perspectives on identity, inequality, community, climate, relationships, cities and social systems.

Applicants must respond to one of the five official prompts. Unprompted entries will not be considered for the competition.

Competition Categories

Writing

Young writers may submit eligible written work according to the category-specific guidelines.

Art

The art category accepts both:

Traditional artwork
Digital artwork

Photography, comics and mixed-media work may also be accepted under the relevant submission guidelines.

The announcement mentions one winner per art or writing category while also listing first-, second- and third-place prizes. It does not clearly explain whether all three prize levels will be awarded separately in both categories. Applicants should confirm the final prize distribution with BlankIsYours.

Prizes

The announced prizes are:

First place: CAD 100
Second place: CAD 50
Third place: CAD 30

Whether this prize structure applies separately to both writing and art has not been clearly specified.

These are monetary prizes in Canadian dollars.

Official Submission Prompts

Applicants must select one of the following:

1. That’s Just How It Is

Explore practices, inequalities or systems that people accept without questioning. The work may consider the consequences of silence, complacency or traditions that should be challenged.

2. The Liberty to Love

Explore the experiences of queer youth and how identity, love, affection, courage and social resistance can coexist.

3. Two Sides of the Same City

Present contrasting realities within a city, such as wealth and poverty, safety and vulnerability, or tradition and change.

4. Too Little, Too Late

Examine what happens when people recognise a problem only after serious damage has occurred. Topics may include climate change, neglected social issues or personal regret.

5. Behind Closed Doors

Explore the difference between public appearance and private reality or the parts of everyday life that remain unseen.

Submissions should approach sensitive themes responsibly and remain suitable for the magazine’s youth audience.

Who Can Participate?

Applicants must:

Be between 12 and 21 years old.
Submit original work created by them.
Respond to one of the official competition prompts.
Follow the guidelines for their selected art or writing category.
Complete the appropriate online submission form.

Applicants from any country may participate.

Number of Entries

Each participant may submit up to five entries across writing and art combined.

Every entry must:

Be submitted separately.
Include its submission number in the “extra comments” field.
Follow the rules for the selected category and prompt.

For example, an applicant submitting three works should mark them as Submission 1, Submission 2 and Submission 3.

Originality and AI Policy

All entries must be entirely created by the submitting writer or artist.

The following are prohibited:

AI-generated writing
AI-generated visual artwork
AI-assisted rewriting or editing that substantially changes the work
Plagiarism
Work in which AI created a significant part of the final submission

BlankIsYours may request evidence of the creative process to verify originality.

Publication Opportunity

All eligible entries will be considered for publication, but submission does not guarantee publication.

The magazine plans to publish selected work through:

Full-colour print editions
Digital platforms

Video work can be considered for digital publication only. Multimedia creators who want print consideration should provide a suitable static version, transcript or adapted layout.

How Entries Will Be Judged

Entries will be assessed on:

Creativity and originality: Distinctive ideas and personal perspective
Prompt relevance: Strength of connection with the selected prompt
Technical skill: Craft, composition and presentation for art; grammar, structure and clarity for writing
Impact and expression: Ability to communicate emotion, meaning or a message
Overall excellence: Polish, creativity and ability to stand out

The editorial team may provide constructive feedback where appropriate, but feedback is not guaranteed for every participant.