Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM is encouraging residents to take advantage of a number of Council services and competitions and “Get Creative” during the very difficult times of lockdowns and restrictions.
“Council is determined not only to maintain essential services during these challenging times, but also to provide opportunities for residents to make productive and creative use of the extra time they have at home,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
“I’m encouraging talented writers to enter the Mayor’s Creative Writing Prize and residents with a green thumb should be entering the Blacktown City Garden Competition.”
Entries in the 2021 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize are now open to adults and children aged 8 years and above who live in Blacktown City.
The Creative Writing Prize is conducted by WestWords and entrants are required to write fictional works, either a short story or poem, in response to this year’s theme – ‘The only way is’.
Entries close Sunday 3 October 2021, with winners to be announced at a presentation ceremony in December.
Council is on the hunt for the best gardens in Blacktown City across 13 categories, including, Best Sustainable Garden, Best Themed/Novel Garden and Best Australian Native Garden.
The 2021 Blacktown City Garden Competition includes a new entry category of Unusual/Interesting Plants for the quirkier gardens out there. Entries are now open with preliminary judging to take place in September.
“In addition, Blacktown Libraries and Blacktown Arts have a huge array of online services available to residents ranging from borrowing e-Resources, stream and watch movies, listen to music, access study resources, children’s resources, online exhibitions and workshops.” Mayor Bleasdale said.
Picture: (left to right) Lyn Pederson and Bruce Pederson with Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale, at the Pederson’s Lalor Park home which won the 2020 Blacktown City Garden Competition’s ‘Champion Garden’ award.
Creative Writing Prize – https://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/Community/Awards-scholarships-and-competitions/2021-Mayoral-Creative-Writing-Prize
Garden Competition – https://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/Community/Awards-scholarships-and-competitions/Blacktown-City-Garden-Competition
