Have you got children interested in writing or drawing?
Here are a few opportunities for them to get involved in:

Make Your Own Comic Book

artwork by Pénélope

Children aged between 7 and 17 are invited to participate in a nationwide contest and stand the chance to win some amazing prizes.
All they need to do is design a comic book (as a group or individually)  full of creativity in which the food they love, or hate, is the hero. What happens after that is entirely up to the artist(s).
The winners will be selected by a jury composed of the expert Paul Gravett, comics artist Alex Spiro, and chef Raymond Blanc.
This competition is run alongside the BD & Comics Passion Festival organised by the Institut français which will run from 30 May to 02 June.

The deadline is 9th May. Each comic should include a cover, a back cover, a title and at least two pages. Entries can be written in English or in French.

You can find more information here, and the entry form here.

Red House Young Writers’ Yearbook 2013 Competition

 
Red House is after aspiring young writers from around the country to enter the 2013 Red House Young Writers’ Yearbook competition and win the chance to see their stories or poems published in a stunningly produced and designed book.
To enter the competition, children should be aged between 7 and 17. They can submit a story, poem or article and it’s up to the individual what subject they choose to write about. 
This year the competition entries will be divided into four age categories: 7+, 9+, 11+ and 13+. The deadline is 31st July. 
As well as becoming a published author, the winners will also earn the opportunity to attend a Red House Young Writers’ Workshop, with a  high-profile children’s author, held – for the first time ever- as part of the celebrated Imagine Children’s Festival at London’s Southbank Centre. The workshop will provide participants with a unique, fun and stimulating opportunity to help them hone their skills and provide lots of feedback to encourage and inspire! 

What to do to enter?
Pieces of work should be emailed along with the child’s name, email address, date of birth, age range (7+, 9+, 11+, 13+), parent/guardian email address and postal address to youngwriters@redhouse.co.uk with the subject heading “Red House Young Writers Yearbook 2013 Competition”
 
For more information, check on the Red House website here.
 
Buyagift Young Authors Competition 2013
Specialist gifting website Buyagift.com has launched a new competition to find the next J.K Rowling…up to the age of 10!  Budding authors are invited to submit their stories on a set theme, The Unexpected Gift, which will be judges by a panel included bestselling author Giles Paley-Philips and Book Sniffer blogger Emma O’Donovan. The winning author will see their work made into a professionally published book and sold on the Buyagift website with all profits going to children’s wish-granting charity Make-A-Wish Foundation .
All entrants will be writing to a set title of The Unexpected Gift, with Buyagift paying all costs for the winning story to be illustrated and published.  The book will then be made available on the Buyagift website, with all profits going to Make-A-Wish.
The deadline for submitting stories is Monday 3rd June. The maximum word count is 400 words and children participating must be 10 or under.
Entries should be emailed to writeyourownstories@buyagift.com. 
For more information, check the Buyagift website here.