The Guelph Public Library and Vocamus Writers Community invite teens in grades 7-12 from Guelph and Wellington County to submit original writing and artwork for publication in the 2026 Teen ETCH Anthology, its twelfth year of publication.
This year’s theme is “Chaos,” and teens living in Guelph and Wellington County can submit a short story, poem, or original artwork to either the Teen ETCH creative writing or cover art contest for a chance to be featured in the published anthology.
“Teen ETCH is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and elevate local talent,” says Meg Forestell-Page, Manager of Public Service at the Guelph Public Library. “We want to help young writers and artists build confidence in their creative voices, and connecting them with the Vocamus Writers Community offers valuable mentorship as they grow.”
Creative writing contest
The creative writing contest accepts original written work from teens in grades 7–12 from Guelph and Wellington County.
- Eligible formats: Short stories or poetry
- Word count: Up to 1,500 words
- Formatting: Typed and single spaced
- Submission method: Upload through the online form as a Word document (PDFs not accepted)
- Originality: All writing must be original; AI-generated work is not permitted
Creative writing finalists will be paired with a local author mentor in early April 2026 to receive feedback and help polish their submissions for final judging.
Cover art contest
The cover art contest invites teens to submit original artwork for consideration as the 2026 Teen ETCH Anthology book cover.
- Artwork type: Original visual art with no text
- Dimensions: Vertical 6 × 9-inch format
- File formats: JPG, SVG, or PDF
- Submission method: Upload using the online form
- Originality: AI-generated images will not be accepted
Judges will select one winning piece of artwork from submissions that will be formatted for the book cover.
All participants in both contests must include their full name, school, grade, phone number, and a parent or guardian’s name with their submission.
Submissions must be entered before 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, to be considered for this year’s anthology. There is no entry fee.
How winners are selected
All entries will be judged by Librarians and local industry professionals. All participants who enter a submission will be contacted about whether they are a finalist by the end of April 2026.
The winners will be selected based on creativity, originality, style, grammar, and spelling. The decisions made by the judges are final.
Prizes will be awarded for short story and poetry submissions as well as the selected book cover image. The top three entries in each of the following categories will receive prizes:
- Grades 7 to 8
- Grades 9 to 10
- Grades 11 to 12
- Poetry selections across all grade categories
- Book cover art winner
Thanks to a donation from Kiwanis Club of Guelph, the total prize fund is $3,300 and will include writing and art supplies from Wyndham Art Supplies, as well as gift cards for the winning pieces. Prize values for the creative writing contest are $100 for first place, $75 for second, and $50 for third. The cover art contest winner will receive $100. The winners of both contests will be announced during our Teen ETCH Anthology Book Launch on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
For more information or to submit your work, visit guelphpl.ca/teenetch.
Media contact
Meg Forestell-Page, Manager of Public Service
Guelph Public Library
548-855-0407
mforestell@guelphpl.ca