January 12, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL). In celebration of the 115th birthday of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tennessee Williams, the Tennessee Williams Museum in Key West invites poets and prose writers to submit original work for its 2026 Poetry and Short Story Contests. The contests are held in conjunction with the annual Tennessee Williams Key West Festival, which takes place each March honoring the literary icon who made Key West his home in 1949 and lived and worked on the island for nearly four decades.
Drawing inspiration from the 2026 Festival theme, all contest submissions must reference Williams’s seminal work “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in some manner. Writers are encouraged to interpret the theme broadly. References may include the play itself, Williams during the writing process, one or more of its characters, or actors and actresses associated with the stage or film adaptations.
The entry fee is $20 per submission, and each entrant may submit one poem and/or one short story. First-place winners in each category will receive a $500 cash award, with second-place winners receiving $250. Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on March 1, 2026. Contest winners will be announced on March 26, 2026, during a special Tennessee Williams Birthday Celebration at the Tennessee Williams Museum and will be published online on the Tennessee Williams Key West Festival website www.twfest.org/contests.
The contest is open to U.S. residents only. Poetry submissions may be no longer than 30 lines, while short stories must be between 1,500 and 4,000 words. All entries must be original, unpublished work written in English and submitted online via the official entry form. Full contest guidelines, eligibility requirements, judge information, and submission links are available at twfest.org/contests or kwahs.org/tennessee-williams-festival.
The Tennessee Williams Museum, located at 513 Truman Avenue, is open daily for self-guided tours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about the contests, the museum, or the Tennessee Williams Key West Festival, contact the Key West Art & Historical Society at 305-295-6616 or visit www.kwahs.org.
Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.
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IMAGE 1: The Tennessee Williams Museum in Key West invites poets and writers to submit original works inspired by “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” for the 2026 Tennessee Williams Poetry and Short Story Contests, held in celebration of the playwright’s 115th birthday. Cash prizes totaling $1,500 will be awarded. (Photo credit: Key West Art & Historical Society)
