PCAC: Contest Rules & Information

Poetry, Prose & Arts Festival
Contest Rules & Information

NOTE: This contest is open to festival registrants only. Entrants must complete and send in a registration form.

Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate 2006, handing out the awards
at the 2006 Awards Banquet.

Contest Rules

Poetry entries: Maximum lines per poem: short = 20, long = 46. Maximum three (3) entries.

Prose entries: 3,000 words maximum per each prose piece. Maximum two (2) entries. No co-authored stories. Entries are to be original works that have never been published nor awarded another contest prize.

Entry fee as listed below. Any form or genre may be entered, short of explicit erotica.

Entries must be typed on one side of 8-1/2" x 11" white paper. (Only one poem per page.)

Submit two (2) copies of the entries and a separate cover sheet containing name, address, phone number of the poet/author, title(s) of entries, e-mail address (if available), age group, and line/word count. Write category and age group on the top right of each page submitted. No names or copyright markings on entries.

Do not send originals — no entries will be returned. No electronic submissions. All entries, registration, and payment from each registrant are to be sent in one envelope. Each household member should use their own envelope.

Entry confers a one-time publishing right; all future rights revert to the author.

No revisions or additions will be accepted once the initial entry has been received.

Send SASE for results. Winners will be notified before March 29, 2008. Decisions of the judge(s) are final.

All entries must be postmarked no later than Saturday, March 8, 2008.

Winning poems will be read and prizes will be awarded at the Banquet & Awards Ceremony. First place youth and teen contest winners will receive a free banquet dinner, and may bring additional guests for $30.00 each.

Contest Categories

Adult Poetry/Short, 20 lines or less
(Adults = 20 years old and above)

Submission Cost: $3.50 per poem
First Place Award: $100
Second Place Award: $50
Third Place Award: $25

Adult Non-Fiction Prose
(Adults = 20 years old and above)

Submission Cost: $10.50 per entry
First Place Award: $100
Second Place Award: $50
Third Place Award: $25

Adult Poetry/Long, 46 lines or less
(Adults = 20 years old and above)

Submission Cost: $3.50 per poem
First Place Award: $100
Second Place Award: $50
Third Place Award: $25

Adult Fiction Prose
(Adults = 20 years old and above)

Submission Cost: $10.50 per entry
First Place Award: $100
Second Place Award: $50
Third Place Award: $25

Teen Poetry, Ages 13-19

Submission Cost: $1.50 per poem
First Place Award: $50
Second Place Award: $35
Third Place Award: $20

Teen Prose, Ages 13-19

Submission Cost: $7.50 per entry
First Place Award: $100
Second Place Award: $50
Third Place Award: $25

Youth Poetry, Ages 11-12

Submission Cost: $1.50 per poem
First Place Award: $50
Second Place Award: $35
Third Place Award: $20

Youth Poetry, Ages 8-10

Submission Cost: $1.25 per poem
First Place Award: $35
Second Place Award: $25
Third Place Award: $15

Youth Poetry, Ages 4-7

Submission Cost: $1.00 per poem
First Place Award: $15
Second Place Award: $10
Third Place Award: $5

Make checks or money orders payable to:
Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council

Mail submissions to:
Jim Ott
Poetry, Prose & Arts Festival
c/o UNCLE Credit Union
2100 Las Positas Court
Livermore, CA 94551

Click here to download a PDF of the Festival Registration Form.
Click here to download a PDF of the Festival Brochure.
Click here to download a PDF of the Festival Schedule of Events.
Click here to download a PDF of Directions to the Festival.
NOTE: PDFs require Adobe Acrobat Reader which you can download for free here.

For further festival information, contact:

Michelle Russo: 925-931-5350 / mrusso@ci.pleasanton.ca.us
David Wright: dawright@sbcglobal.net
Kirk Ridgeway: PleasantonPoetry@comcast.net

For further contest information, contact:

Martha Meltzer, Pleasanton's Poet Laureate: 925-417-6679 / m.meltzer@comcast.net

Poetry, Prose & Arts Festival Contest Rules & Information