We’ve teamed up with Art for Guernsey to invite local artists to submit cover designs for Time & Tide, the Guernsey Short Story Anthology.

The competition welcomes artwork of any medium inspired by the anthology’s theme: Time & Tide – stories shaped by personal memories, imagined futures and the rhythms of island life.

The finished anthology will be published by Blue Ormer and launched at the Guernsey Literary Festival which runs from 23 April to 3 May 2026.

Claire Allen, Director of the Guernsey Literary Festival said:

Creating our first anthology feels like a really exciting new chapter for the Festival. It’s a chance to showcase local stories and perspectives in a beautifully published collection, and being able to invite local artists to design the cover feels like the perfect way to bring it all together. 

We’re so grateful to our sponsor Sarnia Hotels who have made this project possible, as well as our partners Art for Guernsey, Blue Ormer and U&US for bringing this to life.

David Ummels, Chairman at Art for Guernsey added:

Collaborating with the Festival is a brilliant opportunity to bring visual art and storytelling together in a way that reflects the creativity of our islands. 

 At Art for Guernsey, we believe in the power of art to connect and inspire, and we can’t wait to see what local artists come up with for this very special cover.

Artwork submissions should be in portrait format (6:9 ratio) and uploaded as PNG, JPEG or PDF files via the online form.

Digital submissions will be reviewed to create a shortlist, with artists of selected pieces invited to submit their original works to Art for Guernsey, 4–6 Mansell Street, for final judging during the week of 8 December 2025.

The winning artwork will appear on the published anthology, and the artist will receive 10 complimentary tickets to Festival events of their choice (excluding workshops and special events).

Submissions for the short story anthology are open to anyone aged 18 and over with a connection to the Bailiwick.

Writers are invited to submit short stories or creative non-fiction of up to 2,500 words. Over 70 people have expressed an interest in entering the competition so far.

The deadline to submit both short stories and cover artwork is 30 November 2025. For full entry details and terms and conditions, visit guernseyanthology.gg and guernseyanthology.gg/artwork.

The project is sponsored by Sarnia Hotels and generously supported by Art for Guernsey, U&US and Blue Ormer.