The Edinburgh Essay Award welcomes non-fiction submissions on a broad range of topics. The organizer is seeking essays on cultural subjects such as art, literature, theatre, dance, music, and other artistic expressions; travel narratives about locations, individuals, and experiences; profiles that explore the impact of people — from community figures to international icons; discussions of environmental issues from household to global level; personal memoirs capturing transformative or enlightening experiences; and examinations of philosophical, historical, or modern-day topics and more.

Open to witers worldwide. Entries should be no more than 2,000 words, excluding the title and captions. Photographs and graphic illustrations within the body of the essay are permitted.

Shortlisted and longlisted stories will be revealed by 10 August 2025. All entrants will be informed.

We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.