For more information on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, please visit www.bethesda.org.
Deadline: January 13, 2026
Awards
First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center.
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $150
Honorable Mention: $75
All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and The Writer's Center websites, as well as, honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase, March 12, 2026.
Requirements Poems cannot be more than 21 lines of text. Only one entry per person. Poems must be original work of the applicant and must be currently unpublished. Any poems containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. AI-generated or AI-assisted poems are not eligible for submission and will be disqualified.
Eligibility Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George's) and Virginia (Arlington/Alexandria and Fairfax) are eligible. Current and former employees, contractors, directors, and officers of the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) and their immediate family members are ineligible. Current students, relatives, or close personal friends of the judge(s) are also ineligible. Only one entry per person.
Judge TBD
Notification Applicants will be notified in February 2026.
Copyright All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the poems they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting poems, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted poems (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP Web site, on other Web sites, and in other media.
Questions? Please email poetry@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660, Ext. 117.
For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org.
Deadline: January 13, 2026
Awards - Up to ten student poets (Grades 9-12) will receive a $75 Young Poets Award. Winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and The Writer's Center Website, as well as, honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase, held March 12, 2026.
Requirements Poems cannot be more than 21 lines of text. Only one entry per person. Poems must be original work of the applicant and must be currently unpublished. Any poems containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. AI-generated or AI-assisted poems are not eligible for submission and will be disqualified.
Eligibility Students must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C.. Current and former employees, contractors, directors, and officers of the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) and their immediate family members are ineligible. Current students, relatives, or close personal friends of the judge(s) are also ineligible. Must be a high school student (Grades 9-12) at the time of the entry deadline. Only one entry per person.
Judge TBD
Notification Applicants will be contacted in February 2026.
Copyright All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the poems they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting poems, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted poems (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP Web site, on other Web sites, and in other media.
Questions? Please email poetry@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660, Ext. 117.
For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org.
Essay Contest - Adult (Ages 18+) Category
DEADLINE: January 13, 2026
Topic: Open
Awards
First place: $500, published in the July/August issue of Bethesda Magazine, and complimentary class and membership to The Writer's Center.
Second place: $250
Third place: $150
Honorable Mention: $100
All winning essays will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine websites and will be honored at a special event in downtown Bethesda during Bethesda's Local Writer's Showcase March 13, 2026.
Requirements Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer's choosing. Only one entry per person. Your essay must be your original work. Any essays containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. Previously published essays are not eligible. AI-generated or AI-assisted poems are not eligible for submission and will be disqualified.
Eligibility Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George's) and Virginia (Arlington/Alexandria and Fairfax) are eligible. Current and former employees, contractors, directors, and officers of the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) and their immediate family members are ineligible. Current students, relatives, or close personal friends of the judge(s) are also ineligible. Only one entry per person.
Judges TBD
Notification Winners will be contacted in February 2026.
Copyright All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the essays they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting essays, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted essays (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP website, on other websites, and in other media.
Questions? Please email essay@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660, Ext. 117.
For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org.
Essay Contest - High School Category
Deadline: January 13, 2026
Topic: Open
Awards
1st Place: $250 and published in the July/August issue of Bethesda Magazine
2nd Place: $150
3rd Place: $75
Honorable Mention: $50
All winning essays will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine websites and will be honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase, March 13, 2026.
Requirements Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer's choosing. Only one entry per person. Your essay must be your original work. Any essays containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. AI-generated or AI-assisted poems are not eligible for submission and will be disqualified.
Eligibility Students must attend a public or private school or reside in Washington, D.C. or Montgomery County, MD to be eligible. Applicants that are 18 years old and still in high school as of March 13, 2026, should apply in this High School Category.
Current and former employees, contractors, directors, and officers of the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) and their immediate family members are ineligible. Current students, relatives, or close personal friends of the judge(s) are also ineligible. Only one entry per person.
Judges TBD
Notification Applicants will be contacted in February 2026.
Copyright All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the essays they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting essays, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted essays (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP website, on other websites, and in other media.
Questions? Please email essay@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660, Ext. 117.
For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org