Short Story Competition Shines Light on Print Disability

A pioneering audiobook charity has released details of a new short story competition.

Calibre Audio is celebrating 50 years of making books accessible to everyone by launching Inclusive Voices, a competition aimed at raising print disability awareness and championing new creative voices.

The first prize winner in each age category, whose winning story will include a print disabled character, will have the opportunity to visit the Calibre Studio in Buckinghamshire to record their story or hear their story being recorded for inclusion in the Calibre Collection. 

In addition, the story will be included in the Best Inclusive Voices print book which will also be recorded in audio and winners will be invited to attend a prize giving event at the Birmingham Central Library in October.

Established in 1974, Calibre Audio uses the full range of technology to make books accessible to everyone with a print disability - a condition that prevents a person from gaining information from printed material in the standard way, so they use alternative methods to access that information.

From cassette tapes through to Alexa, Calibre has made books audible for 50 years and gives its members the power to read their way through a choice of audiobook platforms.

The service is free for under 18s and those still in full time education, creating learning opportunities to help young people grow and thrive through reading.

Entries to the Inclusive Voices competition can be narrative or verse and can be submitted in written, video or audio form and must include a main character with a print disability.

Entries are open until 5pm on August 31 and full details can be found here https://www.calibreaudio.org.uk/

“We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved over the last 50 years, helping many thousands of people to enjoy, learn, connect and grow through listening to books,” said Anthony Kemp, CEO of Calibre Audio.

“Our members face really diverse challenges caused by their struggles to read print in a world that assumes everyone can.

“From underachieving at school, feeling left out in friendship groups and navigating the work environment to loneliness and social isolation in later life, our competition seeks to get people thinking about what life can be like for these people through our Inclusive Voices stories.”

The Inclusive Voices competition is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.