Become the next Young Norfolk Laureate 2026–27!

The Young Norfolk Laureate initiative celebrates emerging literary voices across Norfolk by showcasing a young writer who has demonstrated exceptional creative talent. Delivered annually by the National Centre for Writing and Norwich UNESCO City of Literature, the programme champions young voices and provides a springboard into a professional writing career, connecting the next generation of writers with opportunities in Norfolk and beyond.

Winners and shortlistees of Young Norfolk Writing Prize 2026 and Young Norwich Creative Award 2026 only are eligible. Please scroll down for more submission information.

Submit your application here

The Young Norfolk Laureate title will be awarded to an outstanding young writer who demonstrates both exceptional creative talent and a commitment to championing bold new writing across the county. Between September 2026–June 2027, the Laureate will:

Be commissioned to produce a new, original piece of writing for NCW’s Writing Hub

Receive mentorship from a professional writer that aligns with their practise

Be awarded a two-day residency at the National Centre for Writing

Be paid to perform their work at local events and festivals throughout the year.

Complimentary tickets to literary and cultural events throughout the year at the National Centre for Writing and beyond.

With support from the National Centre for Writing, the Young Norfolk Laureate will also create a ‘mission statement’. They will map out their aims for the year ahead and develop a plan of activity that would support this. The mission will align with Norwich UNESCO City of Literature’s ten-year strategy, to:

To promote the lifelong wellbeing benefits of writing for other young people.

To amplify Norwich as an inclusive and welcoming city through storytelling.

To encourage young people to engage with Norwich’s literary heritage.

This mission is published alongside their commission on the NCW website.

Eligibility

You must be aged between 16–25 in September 2026.
You must be based in Norfolk.
You will want to advocate for writing across the county
You must have been shortlisted/a winner of the Young Norfolk Writing Prize 2026 or the Young Norwich Creative Awards 2026.

How to apply

Please answer and complete an application form and upload your writing entry HERE. The deadline for applications is Monday 7 September 2026. We will let you know if you have been successful by Friday 18 September.

Please note: We encourage entrants to submit original work that reflects their own voice and creativity. To help ensure a fair competition, submissions may be assessed using AI-detection tools. Entries found to have been created predominantly using AI will be disqualified and you may not be eligible for future NCW applications and competitions.

Application guidelines

Application form

The application form has four sections:

Contact information for you and a parent/guardian
Four brief application questions
Upload your creative submission as a written and video file
An anonymous equalitymonitoringform.

Safeguarding and privacy

If we have any safeguarding concerns about your written or video entry, we may contact your parent/guardian. If you are under 18 and a safeguarding issue is raised, we may contact them directly without your prior consent. If you are over 18 and a safeguarding issue is raised, we will copy you into any correspondence.

Submission upload guide

You must upload your files directly through the application form above. Submissions must be provided as a written piece and a video showcasing your writing in your own voice. The work submitted may be the same piece of writing that was previously shortlisted for the Young Norfolk Creative Awards or the Young Norfolk Writing Prize.

To submit a written entry:

Please submit your writing as a PDF.

Include a title and your name in the document.

There is no official word count, but it can be no longer than four A4 pages and must be an original piece of writing.

To submit a video entry:

Please upload as a Google Drive/Dropbox link.

It can be no longer than ten minutes and must be an original piece of writing.

You will not be judged on the quality of your filming equipment/editing skills. Recorded simply on a phone, directly to camera, is perfect. Though do feel free to introduce yourself in a creative way that best demonstrates your ability to perform/read your work.

Need support?

If you need any support to complete your application, please contact Rosa Torr, Learning & Participation Programme Manager, rosa@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk, who will be happy to support your access needs.

Application form

To submit a written entry:

To submit a video entry:

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