Creative Writing Competition 2026

‘Seeing the Sea’ 2026 Creative Writing Competition

Winners: 

First place: Eva Di Battista (G.F.A Junior College)

Second place: Jade Callus (G.F.A Junior College)

Third place: Raquel Marie Micallef (G.F.A Junior College)

 

In January 2026, REMED launched a creative writing competition for post-secondary students on the theme of ‘Seeing the Sea’. Students were invited to submit an original piece of writing in English in the genre of poetry or the short story that features ‘Seeing the Sea’ as one of its central themes.

Participants were encouraged to interpret the theme broadly and imaginatively and consider the different ways in which it can be understood, including with reference to:

• Different seas and oceans; possible connections between them.
• Different ways of engaging with the sea: recreational activities, leisure, sport, fishing, trade, science, etc.
• The sea as a space of distance or connection, travel, exploration, etc.
• The sea as a symbolic space. 
• Lived experiences in the Mediterranean Sea: Different political, social, geographical realities.
• Different ways of seeing and the possibility of different perspectives: the sea as seen from the land; the land as seen from the sea; the sea in the past, the present, or the future; historical or speculative perspectives; personal experiences or reflections.
• Nonhuman perspectives and ways of being in the sea: the sea as biological habitat; the lives of marine species. Can we imagine nonhuman ways of seeing or sensing? Can we adopt the imagined viewpoints and experiences of other species?
• Changing seas: Sea temperature rise, pollution, plastic waste, depletion of marine life and biodiversity, rising sea levels, acidification, ‘alien’ species, etc.

 

Entries were evaluated on their originality, their relevance to the theme, their use of language, style, and the overall impact of the writing. The winning entries were selected by a panel of judges from the REMED project, the University of Malta’s Department of English, Antae: A Journal of Creative Writing, and the Department of English Student Association (DESA).  

Winners received a total of €250 in book vouchers from Agenda bookshop and their writing was published in Antae: A Journal of Creative Writing. The winning entries can be read here.

The awards were presented at a prize-giving ceremony held at the end of the (Re-)Visiting the Mediterranean Spring School.