creativity competition

The Philosophy Society invites creative students from all years and courses at the University of Roehampton to take part in a writing and drawing competition on the theme "colour"

Colours surround us all, shaping our everyday lives, the flags of nations, our imaginations, and our perspectives. This contest’s theme is “colour,” and we invite you to explore what it means to you. You can interpret the theme freely: colour could be the essence of your design, the focal point of your story, the subject of your research, or even the guiding style of your work. The possibilities are endless—let your creativity bring “colour” to life in whatever way you imagine!

The event consists of three parts:

1. Creative competition (works are accepted from November 6 to January 15. The best and highly appreciated works will be listed here, on our website in mid-February)
2. Publication of the first issue of the student magazine (it will include texts and drawings that were the best or highly appreciated in the previous stage)
3. Voting and celebration (after the publication of the magazine, voting will be open for readers who will choose the best works in their opinion, after which a celebration will be held in honour of the release of the first issue, where the winners of each stage and the authors of highly appreciated works will be awarded)

Rules:

1.    All works submitted to the competition must in some form analyse philosophical ideas or encourage the reader/viewer to reflect on them
2.    Texts of any genre on the topic of the competition, as well as drawings of any type and genre on the topic of the competition are allowed to participate
3.    Participants can send works already published elsewhere, as well as texts written for evaluation, or their own articles, formatted accordingly
4.    All works must be sent to the Roehampton Philosophical Society email address (we cannot accept them in any other way) philosophy.society@roehampton.ac.uk
5.    All participants must be members of the Roehampton Philosophical Society (this is free)
6.    The call for entries for the competition starts on 6 November 2024 and ends on 15 January 2025, after which judging will begin
7.    The maximum number of works from one participant is three
8.    The maximum number of words for texts is 2000
9.    Any attempts at fraud including bribery, plagiarism, etc. will result in disqualification
10.    Works related to incitement of hatred, discrimination and insults are not allowed to participate.

Guide for participants:

1. Read carefully the rules of participation, schedule and more, become a member of the philosophy society (it is free, accessible through our page and is mandatory for participation)
2. Select the works that you will submit to the competition (pictures, texts) [it makes no difference whether you have submitted or published these works anywhere before, including assessments at the university, they will still be accepted for the competition]
3. Prepare your work for participation in accordance with the rules
4. Send your work to us by email at philosophy.society@roehampton.ac.uk along with a separate file containing the following information:

• Your full name
• Your pseudonym (if you wish to be published under a pseudonym)

Please do not include any of these in your work as the assessment will be blind

1. Wait for a reply email from us saying that we have received your work and you are now a registered participant
2. Wait for notifications from us about the end of the assessment and the beginning of the next stage in mid-February.

Prizes:

Outstanding entries will be prominently featured in the inaugural issue of the Roehampton Student Magazine “Name”, giving your work a platform to inspire and captivate the university community. Prize-winning entries at each stage will also be honoured with certificates of appreciation at the grand finale celebration. This is your chance to showcase your creativity, and see your work in print—don’t miss out!

About evaluating your creative work:

We're looking for pieces that make thoughtful connections to our theme, “colour,” in ways that encourage reflection or explore philosophical ideas. We value creativity and originality—bring fresh ideas or put a unique twist on familiar ones. Your piece should have a clear structure, whether it’s an essay with a logical flow or a story with a natural pace. For non-fiction, precision and clarity are key; in creative writing, we’re looking for evocative language that captures the mood. Lastly, we want depth—something that leaves readers with food for thought or emotional resonance.

For artwork, we’re looking for originality and creativity in how you interpret “colour.” Show us something unique in your approach, your color choices, or your technique. We’ll consider your technical skill with your chosen medium, as well as the composition—how well-balanced and organized the elements are. Above all, we want the piece to have an impact, to make people feel something or spark thought.

Our judging will take place in stages: first, professionals will give their assessments, followed by student and societies judges who bring a broader perspective. Your final score will be a mix of these two evaluations, so you’ll get a balanced view on your work.

We’re excited to see your creative and thoughtful interpretations!