Re: Poetry + prose Submissions open for Kenmare Arts Festival Co. Kerry #Ireland 2ND-16TH AUGUST 2026
Mill Cove
Thank you for your email - all the literary events for the Kenmare Arts Festival are summarised below - more details on the website and submission forms. All submissions are free but certain Ts and Cs apply
https://www.kenmareartsfestival.com
Deadlines for All Literary Submissions are 30 May 2026
Poets Meet Painters 2026
Poetry in Conversation with Visual Art
Organised by Mill Cove Gallery, Poets Meet Painters brings poets into direct creative dialogue with painters and visual artists. Participating poets will respond to a curated selection of artworks created for the project.
Selected poems will be published in the Poets Meet Painters 2026 Anthology.
Out of the Quiet: Queer Lives in Irish Writing
An Anthology of Short Stories & Poetry
Out of the Quiet is a landmark literary project celebrating older Irish gay men, whose lives, histories, and creative voices have often been overlooked.
The anthology will feature short fiction and poetry grounded in lived experience, exploring themes such as:
Memory, identity, resilience, sexuality, ageing, displacement, community, loss, joy, and belonging.
The Kate O'Riordan Prize for Short Fiction 2026
Open Call – Open Voices
The Kenmare Arts Festival Short Story Competition 2026 is open to everyone, welcoming submissions from emerging and established writers alike.
The resulting Short Story Competition Anthology will be launched at the Festival, alongside readings by selected writers.
The prize fund for this competition is €1,000
Kenmare Connected
Stories Rooted in Place
Kenmare Connected, in collaboration with the Kenmare Chronicle, invites writers to explore Kenmare in the past, present, or future, through short stories, personal reflections, or imaginative narratives.
This project celebrates community, memory, and imagination, capturing the evolving spirit of Kenmare and its people.
Selected works will be published in the Kenmare Connected Anthology, which will be launched during the Festival.
Publication, Prizes & Festival Launches
All four projects will result in printed anthologies, launched publicly during the Kenmare Arts Festival 2026, with readings, discussions, and awards events taking place at the Carnegie Arts Centre.
A prize fund will be awarded across some of the literary events, with full details to be announced following confirmation of sponsorship.
HiWe are a registered charity for promoting the arts in your area for free.Please send information about this contest and how to submit entries.Your response will be automatically forwarded to thousands of interested parties on our social media platforms.Thanks.--Studio NIreland: Promoting Arts and Culture in Ireland since 2004. NIC101100