The Literature and Criticism Club announces the following Competitions and Awards (2025):
1. Emerging writer competition
TERMS
(a) The Emerging Writer Competition is open to authors aged 18 and above, without any upper age limit.
(b) Eligible for the award are standalone books written in the Greek language (Modern Standard Greek or the Cypriot dialect), published between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
(c) Eligible works must be authored by: (i) Cypriot citizens; (ii) European citizens; or (iii) citizens from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(d) The competition is open to poets, prose writers, and playwrights whose submitted book constitutes their first publication. Publications in daily or periodical print or online media do not count as first publications.
(e) One prize will be awarded in each of the following categories: Poetry, Prose, and Theatre, totalling three prizes.
(f) Each interested party must submit their book to the Emerging Writer Competition by sending four (4) copies to the postal address: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus. Along with the book, they must send: (i) a copy of a birth certificate or ID card proving their eligibility in terms of age; and (ii) a handwritten declaration of interest in participating in the competition. The declaration of interest must also be sent electronically.
(g) Books submitted to the competition will not be returned to the authors.
(h) Submissions for the Emerging Writer Competition are accepted between January and June 2024. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
2. “Vasilis Michaelides” lifetime contribution award
TERMS
(a) The Lifetime Contribution Award is granted to authors, researchers, or literary critics in recognition of their significant contribution to Cypriot letters.
(b) Candidates for the Lifetime Contribution Award are not required to submit applications themselves. Eligible candidates include: (i) Cypriot authors, researchers, or literary critics; and (ii) authors, researchers, or literary critics of other nationalities, provided their work has significantly contributed to the promotion of Cypriot literature studies and the dissemination of Cypriot literature abroad.
(c) The award is decided upon by the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Literature and Criticism Club, which acts as the judging committee.
(d) Each member of the BOD may submit a nomination and justify their proposal for awarding a particular author.
(e) In the event of a tie, the President of the BOD has the casting vote.
(f) The selected author will be informed of the BOD’s decision to honour them with the Lifetime Contribution Award. Should the recipient decline the award, the BOD will select another author.
(g) The BOD will decide on the Lifetime Contribution Award no later than the end of September 2025.
3. “Antonis K. Intianos” philological study – essay – critical edition competition
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Eligible for the award are standalone books in the genres of philological study, essay, or critical edition, published between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
(c) The subject of the submitted book may relate to Cypriot literature, its connections with wider Modern Greek literature, or its relationship with world literature. It may also focus exclusively on Modern Greek literature without any specific connection to Cypriot literature. Furthermore, it may pertain to critical editions of texts from Cypriot or broader Modern Greek literature.
(d) Each interested party must submit their book by sending four (4) copies to the postal address: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus, along with a handwritten declaration of interest in participating in the competition. The declaration of interest must also be sent electronically.
(e) Books submitted to the competition will not be returned to the authors.
(f) Submissions for the competition are accepted between January and June each year. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
4. Competition for philological studies published in periodical media
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Eligible for the award are studies published between 1 January and 31 December 2024 in newspapers or magazines.
(c) The subject of the study may concern Cypriot literature, its connections with wider Modern Greek or world literature.
(d) Each interested party must submit their study by sending five photocopied copies to the postal address: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus, along with a handwritten declaration of interest in participating in the competition. The declaration of interest must also be sent electronically.
(e) Photocopies of the submitted study will not be returned to the authors.
(f) Submissions for the competition are accepted between January and June each year. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
5. Novel competition
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Eligible for the award are novels written in Greek (Modern Standard Greek or the Cypriot dialect) and published as standalone books between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
(c) Each interested party must submit their novel by sending four (4) copies to the postal address: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus, along with a handwritten declaration of interest in participating in the competition. The declaration of interest must also be sent electronically.
(d) Books submitted to the competition will not be returned to the authors.
(e) Submissions for the competition are accepted between January and June each year. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
6. Poetry competition
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Eligible for the award are poetry collections written in Greek (Modern Standard Greek or the Cypriot dialect), published between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
(c) Each interested party must submit their collection by sending five (5) copies to the postal address: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus, along with a handwritten declaration of interest in participating in the competition. The declaration of interest must also be sent electronically.
(d) Books submitted to the competition will not be returned to the authors.
(e) Submissions for the competition are accepted between January and June each year. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
7. Short story competition
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Submissions must be unpublished short stories written in Greek (Modern Standard Greek or the Cypriot dialect).
(c) Length: Each short story must not exceed 2,500 words.
(d) Submissions must be typed (Times New Roman, font size 12) and sent in five printed copies.
(e) Each submission must include a pseudonym and a six-digit identification number on the first page.
(f) The author’s real name, along with the pseudonym and identification number, must be enclosed in a separate small envelope, placed together with the copies of the story, and sent to the Literature and Criticism Club.
(g) Submissions should be sent to: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus.
(h) The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
8. Satirical Poetry Competition “Tefkros Anthias”
TERMS
(a) The competition is open to authors with: (i) Cypriot citizenship; (ii) European citizenship; or (iii) citizenship from third countries who have been permanent residents of Cyprus for the past five years.
(b) Submissions must be unpublished poems written in Greek (Modern Standard Greek or the Cypriot dialect) and fall within the genre of satirical poetry, excluding any content that could be considered defamatory.
(c) Each submission must not exceed 100 lines.
(d) Submissions must be typed (Times New Roman, font size 12) and sent in five printed copies.
(e) Each submission must include a pseudonym and a six-digit identification number on the first page.
(f) The author’s real name, along with the pseudonym and identification number, must be enclosed in a separate small envelope, placed together with the copies of the poem, and sent to the Literature and Criticism Club.
(g) Submissions should be sent to: Literature and Criticism Club, P.O. Box 28283, Strovolos 2092, Nicosia-Cyprus.
(h) Submissions are accepted between January and June each year. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2025.
BY THE LITERATURE AND CRITICISM CLUB
Also read: State Literature Awards Ceremony for the publications of 2023
