We're inviting young people across Northumberland to put their imaginations to work in a creative writing competition inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
As we prepare to welcome Triple Treat Theatre Company back to Hexham this Christmas for a magical new production of Dickens’ festive classic, young writers are being offered the chance to see their own words brought to life on stage.
The competition, A Christmas Future, invites children in school Years 4–9 to imagine what Christmas might look like in the future, with two creative challenges designed to spark their imaginations.
Children in Years 4–6 are invited to explore the question What does your dream Christmas look like?, while those in Years 7–9 are challenged to imagine What will happen on Christmas Day in the year 3000?
From Christmas on another planet to a world run by robots, the possibilities are endless. Entries can take the form of a story, poem or diary entry, with illustrations encouraged and a maximum word count of 500.
The competition is open to children living in or attending school anywhere in Northumberland, with the deadline extended to Friday 30 October at 5pm to give more young people the opportunity to take part.
And there's an extra special prize up for grabs. A line from the overall winning entry will be incorporated into this year’s Christmas production, giving one young writer the chance to hear their own words performed on the Queen’s Hall stage.
Winners in both age categories will also receive a family ticket to a VIP performance of A Christmas Carol, a Queen’s Hall Arts voucher and a drama workshop delivered by Triple Treat Theatre during spring 2027, for their class or home school network. Runners-up will also receive book tokens.
The competition is designed to encourage creativity and imagination, with an emphasis on original ideas rather than perfect spelling or grammar.
How to enter
Entries must be no longer than 500 words and should include the child's name, age and a parent, carer or teacher's contact details.
Submissions can be emailed to [email protected], with the subject line A Christmas Future, or handed in at Queen’s Hall Box Office during opening hours.
The closing date is Friday 30 October 2026 at 5pm. Winners will be announced in mid-November.