Welcome to the 2023 Writers & Illustrators Contest!
Hey, Kids! Grab your notepad, pencil, art supplies, and creativity. It’s time again for PBS KIDS Utah annual Writers & Illustrators Contest! This year we want you to use your imagination to write a story all your own about whatever subject you choose.
Stories can be fiction or nonfiction, about your very own neighborhood or faraway lands. The sky’s the limit, as long as it is your own original work.
Don’t know where to start? Take a look at the activity sheets and printable resources on this page. Ask yourself questions like: What are the things I am curious about? What do I notice in the world around me? What would happen if....? Jot down story ideas and sketch drawings as you look at the vibrant world around you.
Stories are to be submitted online or via mail with a completed entry form by May 1st. Winners, who are announced in May, will receive a PBS KIDS Utah prize pack, have their stories published online, and have an opportunity to celebrate with other winners with a local PBS station tour. The stories will be showcased in a traveling art exhibit hosted by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.
Contest Instructions
Here is everything you will need to help your young writer and artist submit their entry.
(1) Learn About the Contest
Read the Contest Entry Form and Rules (Download Entry Form). It has all the information you need to get your story ready to submit! Make sure you can enter the Contest.
(2) Write & Illustrate Your Story
What should your story include? 1) A beginning, middle, and end – remember to stay within the word count! 2) A central event, like a conflict or discovery. 3) A minimum of 5 illustrations that help tell the tale. For inspiration, check out the stories from last year.
Special Prize Pack Giveaway!
All participants will AUTOMATICALLY be entered to win an Aspiring PBS KIDS Utah Writers and Illustrators prize pack. Cuddle up with your very own Bob Ross plush stuffy, break open all new art supplies, and enjoy other PBS KIDS Utah swag! One winner will be randomly selected on or after May 1st.
(3) Submit Your Story & Completed Entry Form
You can submit your story & entry form by mail or online (see below)!
Submit by mail:
- Download and print the Contest Entry Form and Rules (Download Entry Form)
- Ask a parent or guardian fill out the form completely, sign it, and
- Mail story & completed entry form to:
PBS KIDS Utah
Attn: Annie Frazier
101 Wasatch Drive., RM 215
Salt Lake City, Utah 8411
Submit via online form:
Printable Resources and Activity Sheets
(click on images below to download PDF)
All stories start with an idea of the characters, places or events that will be in the story. Use these worksheets to help your child and students start to form ideas for potential stories. These activities provide a space to freely develop story ideas through text and illustration.
For more inspiration and tips from other parents, check out these articles from PBS Parents!
Great Adventures Start with a Story
Raising Info-Kids!: Using and Creating Informational Texts at Home
For Educators & Librarians
Contact education@pbsutah.org to receive materials to distribute to your students. Please include your name, where you teach or your library, the date of your event, and number of supplies needed for the students.