Villena Aldama Art & Writing Contest

A generous gift from the Villena-Aldama Foundation provided BreakBread Magazine with the opportunity to present the first Villena-Aldama Art & Writing Contest in 2022. The contest offered a $250 prize to winners in each genre the magazine publishes: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art/hybrid forms. Winners were announced in June 2022 with their work featured in the Spring 2023 issue of the magazine. 

Villena-Aldama Art & Writing Contest WINNERS

ART

The Myth of Sisyphus by Sachi Parikh

“The artist possesses a definitive, original style through these sculptures. Surrealist storytelling and abstraction—a balanced and stark combination—blend together with thoughtful imagination. The delicate structure, advanced technique, and inventiveness of the sculptures show that the artist has a bright future.” —Zack Orsborn (contest judge)

FICTION

Loose Parts by Alexandra Dauchess

"This story is confidently written, with subtle and smart characterization. There is a clever contrast between what the reader picks up on, and what our main character Mattie is thinking and feeling, ultimately leading up to the reveal that Mattie has been more aware of his parents' deteriorating relationship than we thought."—Kate Norris (contest judge)

NONFICTION

Go Back to The Shedd by Ileana Minor

"I loved this piece for how rich its details were, and how the narration not only seemed determined to not stray from those details, but also to enliven them. I love being taken on a journey as a reader. This piece is so beautifully and reliably narrated, it was such a joy to live in this world for a while."—Hanif Abdurraquib (contest judge)

POETRY

a left-handed red by Noor Ali

Villena-Aldama Art & Writing Contest Finalist

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Guidelines

  • Creatives under the age of 25 by May 2022 are invited to submit work in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art/hybrid forms between the dates of Jan. 1, 2022 and Mar. 31, 2022.

  • Contest entry is free.  

  • Submissions must adhere to BreakBread Magazine’s general submission guidelines, and submitters will only be considered for the Villena-Aldama prize in one genre. As outlined by BreakBread's general submission guidelines, creatives are limited to one submission per genre, per submission period.

Selection Process

  • BreakBread’s selection process abides by the Code of Ethics developed by the Council of Literary Magazines and Press (CLMP):

    • “The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. Intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree: 

  • to conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors;

  • to provide clear and specific contest guidelines—defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and

  • to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public.” 

  • All general submissions received by BreakBread Magazine between January 1, 2022 and March 31, 2022 are eligible for consideration.

  • Finalists will be nominated by editorial staff, and contest winners will be selected by a group of guest judges: Hanif Abdurraqib (nonfiction), Kate Norris (fiction), Phil Taggart (poetry), and Zach Orsborn (art).


Conflicts of Interest

  • Previous submitters are welcome to submit to the contest. BreakBread staff and volunteers, their family members, and their current and former students are ineligible for the Villena-Aldama Prize.