Competitions
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You are eligible to enter if you attend/live in the catchment area for one of the following participating schools: Badgemore, Bishopswood, Gillotts, Kidmore End, Nettlebed, Peppard, Sacred Heart, Shiplake, Sonning Common, Trinity, Valley Road OR if you attend Henley College, Shiplake College, Chiltern Edge, Rupert House or St Mary's. If you have recently moved to a school that is not on the list but have previously taken part in HYF please contact artcompetition@hyf.org.uk
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CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 24 FEBRUARY 2026
ALL ENTRIES MUST COMPLETE REGISTRATION ONLINE HERE
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Art Competition
Create a piece of art that reflects the 2026 theme: Amazing Animals. Paint, draw, make a collage, and sculpt in paper, clay, wood or any other medium. Mix your media if you wish. Think big – or small – or somewhere in between, (but ideally no bigger than 1m x 1m). Work on your own, or in a group.
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Entries will be judged on imagination, creativity, innovation and interpretation of the theme and will be adjudicated by professional artists.
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Age Categories
There are currently 3 categories:
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Infant (up to age 6 years - art only)
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Junior (age 7 - 11)
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Senior (age 12 - 18)
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plus Collaborative (ie Art clubs and other groups)
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Prize Giving
Prizes will be awarded at an “invite only” presentation, Saturday 14 March 2026.
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Email artcompetition@hyf.org.uk to contact the event organiser putting Art Competition in the subject line.
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Chess Tournament - Saturday 7 March *NEW
2.00-3.30pm
St Mary’s School
Back for 2026 after many years away. Ready to make your move? Will you be able to check mate your opponent? Come and play in a relaxed and fun tournament.
Parents need to stay for this event.
Email dino@chesswithdino.co.uk with any queries
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The Creative Brick Challenge - Sunday 8 March *NEW
Time: 2.00-4.00pm
Venue: Valley Road School
Years: 4-13
Competition Format
Participants will be asked to complete two individual brick builds from scratch during the session using the bricks provided:
· 1 scene-based challenge
· 1 model build
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Builds are individual, not team-based. Children may photograph their builds but cannot take them home.
This is a drop-off event. Parents and carers will be asked to return for judging and prize giving at the end of the session.
Places are limited and must be registered in advance (approximately 30 places available).
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Email event organiser bricks@hyf.org.uk
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Film Competition
The 2026 Henley Youth Festival Film Competition is now open for entries for all you aspiring filmmakers. We are inviting you to make a Film or Animation (any length you like up to a max of 3 minutes). We would encourage you to interpret the HYF theme into your film. This year’s theme is "Amazing Animals."*
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*Entries will be judged on imagination, creativity, innovation. We will judge the film on its own merits, the HYF theme is not essential.
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Age Categories
There are currently 2 categories:
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Junior (age 7 - 11)
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Senior (age 12 - 18)
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Please download and carefully read the guidelines and rules before completing the online entry form and consent form.
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Prize Giving
Prizes will be awarded at an “invite only” presentation on Saturday 14 March 2026 in the Town Hall, Henley.
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Email artcompetition@hyf.org.uk to contact the event organiser putting Film Competition in the subject line.
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​Photography Competition
We're looking for photos that capture 'My Amazing Pet' whether that be your dog doing something unique, your cat climbing or hiding somewhere unusual or you just have a fish, reptile or guinea pig that you think is amazing.
Photos can be taken on any device from a phone to DSLR camera.
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Entries will be judged on imagination, creativity, innovation and interpretation of the theme and will be adjudicated by professional artists. Prizes will be awarded at an “invite only” presentation, Saturday 14 March 2026 at Henley Town Hall.
​Age Categories
There are currently 3 categories:
Infant (up to age 6 years)
Junior (age 7 to 11)
Senior (age 12 to 18)
These categories may be subdivided depending upon the number of entries at the sole discretion of the organisers.
How to enter
Register your entry and upload your photo(s) on the online registration form
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​Writing Competition
The HYF Writing Competition is for young people who love words. We'd like you to write about the HYF theme in any style you like: a short story; a poem; a play; a blog; song lyrics; a script or maybe a report.
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We are celebrating ‘Amazing Animals’ as our theme for 2026. You can write a thrilling story, a short play, a poem, or a blog! Let your imagination run literally ‘wild’ with this theme – from tiny insects to large beasts there is a vast animal kingdom to choose from to be a character(s) in your writing. There is no limit to where your imagination will take you.​
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​​Age Categories
All entries should be a maximum of 500 words except a short story, which can be 750.
Group 1: School years 1 – 3
Group 2: School years 4 – 5
Group 3: School years 6 - 13
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Prize Giving
Prizewinners will be invited to attend the Writing Competition Prizegiving at Bell Bookshop and at Henley Town Hall on Saturday 14 March 2026.
Prizes for the Writing Competition are kindly donated by the Bell Street Bookshop
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To enter go click here.
To contact the event organiser HERE
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Young Reporter Competition
The Henley Standard and Henley Youth Festival are teaming up once again to invite all young writers and aspiring journalists who live or go to school in Henley or the surrounding villages to enter the Young Reporter competition.
This is a great opportunity for any young person who enjoys writing or is perhaps thinking about a career in journalism.
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​​All you have to do to enter the competition is submit a piece of your own work of between 100 and 500 words. This could be a piece of homework, some creative writing, a book review or a report on an event. It can be something you have already written.
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Young reporters will need to be available and able to travel to the Maidenhead office of Henley Standard on Saturday 28 February.
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How to enter
Please supply your name, school year and age, and contact details of your parent or guardian, including a telephone number and/or email and the name of your school.
Open to ages 11 -18
No entry form required.
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Please email it to Henley Standard editor Phil Simms at phils@henleystandard.co.uk and youngreporter@hyf.org.uk
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The winners will be announced by Friday 27 February 2026.