The City of Hartford’s Marketing, Events & Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Development Services will be sponsoring a writing contest for youth in grades 7-12.

Judges are looking for one page essays that respond to the following:

  • How does art make a difference in your life?
  • Describe at least one example of art you see in Hartford.
  • Describe the art form that is most special to you.
  • If you could, how would you give back to the community and impact others through art?

Writers are expected to answer all of those questions in a single essay; it is said that the writing will be judged on content and creativity.

The winner in each age category (7th-8th grade, 9th-10th grade, and 11th-12th grade) receives $100. Second place gets $75 and third place gets $50.

Guidelines say that this is open to all Hartford residents enrolled in public, private, or magnet schools in or outside Hartford, as well as “non-residents who attend a Hartford-based school.” No word on homeschoolers.

According to MECA, there are standards that writers are expected to follow:

  • All entries must be typed on standard 8 1/2” X 11” paper. Entries submitted on smaller or larger paper than specified size will be eliminated.
  • If emailing your essay, please save it as a Microsoft word document with your last name and name of the school as the file name.Example: Thomas Hartford Academy of the Arts
  • All entries must have complete information at the top of the paper: student’s name, complete home mailing address, school, teacher’s name, grade, and age.
  • Essays should be a minimum of 300 words and should not exceed 800 words.
  • Essay must be the entrant’s original work.
  • Essays that have won other contests or that have appeared in any print or online publications are not eligible.

The deadline is 5p.m. on March 10, 2014. Winners will be announced on April 11, 2014.  

Currently there is no information on the MECA website, so interested writers will need to contact Andres Chaparro to get an application form — achaparro@hartford.gov  or c/o City of Hartford / Department of Development Services, MECA Division / 250 Constitution Plaza– 4th floor / Hartford, CT  06103.