Pittsburgh, PA  –  Friday, March 1, 2024  – 

Are you a teen in the City of Pittsburgh or Allegheny County who loves to create? Starting Monday, March 11th, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will begin accepting submissions from young writers, visual artists, musicians, filmmakers and photographers for its 2024 Ralph Munn Creative Writing and Teen Media Awards (formerly The Labsy Awards) contests. Monetary prizes will be awarded for first ($250) and second ($100) place entries in each of the following categories: Poetry, Short Prose, 2D Art & Design, 3D Art & Design, Short Film, Fashion, Music, Photography and Cover Art.

 

Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest
Contest is open to all high school students (9th-12th grade) in Allegheny County.

Deadline to enter: Monday, March 11 @ 9 am – Monday, April 15 @ 9 am

The Library’s Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest is an opportunity for teens to showcase their writing talents and have the opportunity to be published and added to the Library’s collection. Selected entries are published in an anthology, distributed to all public libraries in Allegheny County and to schools whose students are published in the book. Each published teen also receives an anthology.

Category Descriptions:

Short Prose
Writers may submit original works of fiction or creative nonfiction no greater than 4,000 words in length. Short stories, personal narratives, essays, memoirs and commentaries are all acceptable for this category. In evaluating short prose submissions, judges will consider originality of content and style, development of plot or themes, technical attention to grammar and mechanics, and the author’s command of language.

Poetry
Poems of any form, including –but not limited to– free verse, sonnets, villanelles, sestinas, slam-style poetry and narrative poetry are accepted. Poems will be selected based upon the exemplary clarity, economy, and freshness of language, use of sound and rhythm, complementary nature of the form and content of the poem, and ability to evoke an intellectual or emotional response. Poetry submissions may not exceed two (2) pages in length.

Complete rules, submission details, and past anthologies can be found on the Library’s website at carnegielibrary.org/kids-teens/teenspace/ralphmunn/

Teen Media Awards
Contest is open to Allegheny County teens in grades 6 -12.

Deadline to enter: Monday, March 11 @ 9 am – Monday, June 24  @ 9 am

The Library’s Teen Media Awards recognize the creative work of Pittsburgh teens in a variety of categories including short film, music, photography and fashion.

Category Descriptions:

2D Art & Design
Submit photographs, scans or image files of your 2D original artwork created digitally or using studio art materials such as paint, charcoal or ink.

3D Art & Design
Submit photographs of your 3D original artwork created digitally, like a 3D printed object, or using studio art materials such as clay or papier mâché.

Short Film
Submit an original film that’s no more than 10 minutes long. Film can be in any genre (scripted, documentary, music, video, etc.).

Fashion
Submit photos or patterns for handmade, craftily modified, or up-cycled apparel and accessories.

Music
Submit an original song. Composition can be in any genre.

Photography
Submit an original photograph. Photos can be of any subject, in any style, taken with any type of camera.

Complete rules and submission details can be found on the Library’s website at carnegielibrary.org/kids-teens/teenspace/teenmediaawards

 

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