Pushkin Prizes - A creative writing competition for Scottish and Russian pupils

The Pushkin Prize-winners at Moniack Mhor

2009 Prize-Winners

Be a pushkin prizewinner!

If you enjoy writing stories or poetry or factual stories, you could be one of the lucky ten people to win a place on our Pushkin Prizewinners' Week in May 2010.

Our judges are looking for young people in S1 and S2 attending schools in Scotland who enjoy writing of any kind - stories, autobiography, poetry, plays, journalism - and on any subject. We welcome entries in Scots, Gaelic and English.

All we ask is that you send us three pieces of writing - choose the stories or poems that show your writing skills off to their best advantage. They can be something you've written as part of your course work, or they can be pieces you have completed in your own time. Click here and follow the Ten Steps.

Print off the entry form here . ask your teacher to sign it and send it to the address on the form by Thursday 17th December 2009.

We look forward to hearing from you!

There have been 51905 visitors to this site since March 2001.

Pushkin Prizes 2010 Launched!

Teachers of pupils in S1 and S2 (or equivalent) attending schools in Scotland are invited to submit entries for this year's Pushkin Prizes in Scotland.

This unique creative writing initiative gives children the freedom to write in whatever genre and on whatever subject they choose.

Ten prizewinners will be selected by our panel of judges to attend Pushkin Prizewinners' Week in May 2010 at Moniack Mhor, the Arvon Foundation Writers Centre set in stunning Highland surroundings near Inverness.

Read what last year's winners said of the experience...

The Prize-winners' course is fantastic.
I received some valuable tips during the week... you don't always have to write the truth - very useful!
You get to meet lots of like-minded people and may begin a lifelong friendship.
It boosts your confidence enormously.
I think the Pushkin Prizes are a little like Miracle-Gro. They take a little seedling of a writer and help it grow into something amazing.
Good food. Good company. Great writing.
Absolutely fantastic, I would go back a million times. I loved it!

Please follow the guidelines on the How to Enter page. The deadline for entries is Thursday 17th December 2009.

Room for a teacher?

Every year we offer a free place to a teacher.

Read what Julie Kennedy of Bellahouston Academy said of her participation in Pushkin Prizewinners' Week 2010:

The Pushkin week allowed me to work more closely with a group of young writers and to take part in the same writing exercises as they did. I learned a lot from observing the two professional writers working with the group and used some of the writing activities with my own pupils when I returned to school. I found I was more confident sharing my own poetry with my pupils and could show them examples of poems I had written in response to exercises. This then helped them see how they could use the writing exercises in their own way. It was very enjoyable working with young writers and realising that, as a writer, who happens to be a teacher, I could learn a lot from them. The group were exceptionally easy to get along with and, in particular, they talked to me as another writer, rather than a teacher, which helped me think about how I can develop creative writing in my own teaching. A great experience that I recommend to any teacher with an interest in creative writing.

If you would like to take part in Pushkin Prizewinners' Week 2010, please contact the Director as soon as possible.