The Julia & Martin Wilson Short Story Prize 2026

Broadway Arts Festival launched a short story prize in order to encourage creativity during the lockdown. The prize is generously sponsored and judged by festival Benefactors Julia & Martin Wilson who read every entry received, from across the world. The competition now takes place every other year.

We received a record 537 entries from 35 countries, and 342 from writers age under 16 years!

Prizes:

• Main prize (adults and age 16+): £800
• Ages 11-16yrs: £100
• Age 10 and under: £100

Comments from the judges, Julia & Martin Wilson:

Introducing the 2026 Prize Winners:

Main Prize Winner – Sharon Hier from Swansea, Wales for her story ‘Between the Tides‘

Some background about the story and words from the author:

“I’m 56 and live in Swansea. I graduated in 2025 from the Open University with a degree in Creative Writing. I took early retirement in 2016, following a diagnosis of MS. I volunteer with MS Cymru and St John Ambulance Cymru. I get inspiration from the picturesque Welsh coastline and beautiful country parks. When I’m able, I love horse riding across the stunning Gower landscape. My husband tolerates my wishes to go off the beaten track and explore–sometimes getting lost on purpose, you never know where the next story is waiting.

Reading has always a passion, which naturally progressed into a love of writing from a young age. I completed my first novel aged fifteen. My idea for Between Tides came from watching a grandfather and granddaughter building columns of pebbles on the beach, and the simple joy they had from watching the waves demolish them. I was particularly drawn to this competition because it encourages children to take part. It’s so important that younger generations have creative outlets where their talents can be nurtured and developed.

I’m absolutely delighted to win the Julia & Martin Wilson Short Story Prize. It’s given me the confidence to keep writing–proof that from little pebbles, big things can grow.”

Age 11-16 Category Prize Winner – Isabel Price (Age 15) from High Wycombe for her story ‘The 5 Days of Grief‘

Some background about the story and words from the author:

“I have always loved writing. Now, my story ‘Five Days of Grief’ was written, like any other story I write, based off of a daydream which was this time about life from the perspective of another animal. But when I came to write it, I wanted it to be centered around something so universal, something that everyone goes through at some point in their life – grief. And when deciding on the animal to focus it on, I wanted something that would make sense for the father suffering the grief so I thought it was clear to me that I had to go with a dog, a mans best friend.

For as long as I can remember, writing has always been enjoyable for me whether that was Year 2 and writing the stories I daydreamed about, or Covid and writing what I daydreamed about, or even now. Writing turns anyones passing thoughts into something that stays and I think I’ve always found a sort of beauty in not just writing but reading and stories in general (but it also helped I was never a maths person). And when you’re 15 and thinking about a million different things, writing always allowed me to keep the thoughts I’d otherwise lose.

Daydreams are just stories waiting to be written.”

Age 10 & under Category Prize Winner – Katherine Gerada (Age 10) from Nottingham, for her story ‘Feathery Crusts‘

Some background about the story and words from the author:

“In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, solving puzzles and swimming.  I first began to think about writing Feathery Crusts when my friend Alice suggested that I write about a pigeon who loves noodles, I named him Sandwiches.  Then I overheard my parents talking about boring adult things to their financial adviser Nigel, and I knew that Nigel would be perfect for a bagel financial adviser character.  I knew that these two unlikely friends would be perfect for a story.

I am so overjoyed that I entered and won.  This has inspired me to write more adventures and to create a Sandwiches’ Adventures book.”