Deadline: 20 January 2012

Right Words is a competition for students from around Britain to produce a piece of writing inspired by the issue of freedom of expression.

All students in years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4) are eligible.

When we listen to music on the radio, watch the television, read news online, pick up a magazine or go to the cinema we are taking part in this freedom. It is one of the most important guarantees of our democracy. But imagine for a second living in other parts of the world where writing newspaper articles critical of the government could lead to you being thrown into jail, where certain types of music and books are banned, and where just speaking your mind in public could lead to your arrest by the police.

A distinguished panel of judges will consider the submissions and select winners in the following categories:

• A newspaper article
• A poem
• A fictional story
• Short dialogue / monologue
• A rap / song (music and lyrics)

A piece of artwork can be submitted to accompany any of the entries.

The best entries will be published in an anthology in the spring of 2012.

Judges announced to date:

• Comedian and musician Tim Minchin
• Playwrights – Mike Bartlett, Anna Jordan , Laura Watson, Duncan Macmillan
• Poets – Nii Parkes and Jay Bernard
• Novelists – Meg Rosoff, Evie Wyld, Irfan Master, Josh Lacey, Sophia Achemapong, Daniel Hahn, Robert Sharp, Philip Cowell

www.rightwords.org.uk