Are literary festivals the new rock and roll, or, as Simon Heffer says, a 'live porn show for the educated classes'? We love them, and are taking a tent to Port Eliot in July to showcase new writing talent from Cornwall and the South West. Want to join us? We're looking for writers to read at our stage and collaborate in creating a wordy space in our tent.

WRITING COMPETITION - EXTENDED CLOSING DATE

We're scouting for the best new writing talent from the South West to take to Port Eliot Festival. Send us a sample of your work and you could win:

* the opportunity to read or perform your work on our new writing stage

* entry on site before the festival begins to collaborate with artists/writers Heads and Tales in creating story trails, interactive literature and word installations to fill our tent, inspired by the history and environment of the Port Eliot estate  

* free weekend tickets for the festival.

How to enter:

Send us 1,000 words on the theme 'The West' - in any genre or form, interpreting the brief in any way you like.

The team from MA Professional Writing at University College Falmouth will judge the entries and will notify the winners by THURSDAY 8 JULY

Email your entry to: susannah.marriott@falmouth.ac.uk

Closing date: WEDNESDAY 7 JULY

Festival date 23-26 July

For more literary festivals, check out the British Council's month-by-month guide to literary festivals here.

To find out more about the history of literary festivals – and that Simon Heffer quote – follow this link to The Telegraph.