Cambridge University Library is delighted to announce that it is part of a new collaboration between the BBC and the University of Cambridge to support the BBC National Short Story Award, the BBC Young Writers’ Award and the BBC Student Critics' Award, in a three-year collaboration starting in 2018.
The University Library, the School of Arts and Humanities and the charity First Story will support the BBC Young Writers’ Award. Launched in 2015, the BBC Young Writers’ Award looks for the best new writing from teenagers aged 14-18, and considers all entries on the basis of quality and originality or prose and narrative voice. Entrants to the Young Writers’ Award will be invited to the University Library, where they will have the opportunity to write their own short stories inspired by our physical collections and digital archives.
Those shortlisted for the Young Writers’ Award will have their stories published on the BBC Radio 1 website, and the winning story will be announced during a special short story edition of BBC Radio 4’s Front Row broadcast live from the University Library.
Dr Jessica Gardner, University Librarian and Director of Library Services, said: “Libraries are all about connecting people and inspiring learning and new ideas. As home to the books and archives of some of the greatest writers and thinkers in the world, at Cambridge University Library we are delighted to be working with the BBC to host the prizegiving for the BBC Young Writers’ Award.”
As part of this new partnership, the new University of Cambridge Centre for Creative Writing at the Institute of Continuing Education will host a short story symposium comprising of writing workshops and author talks. The Faculty of English and First Story will be supporting the BBC Student Critic’s Award, which encourages 16-18 year olds to have their say in the five stories shortlisted for the National Short Story Award, and the Cambridge School of Arts and Humanities will host First Story’s Young Writers’ Festival for 600 young people.
More information about the Awards can be found at: www.bbc.co.uk/nssa