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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#242: Fine Art

Museums are magical places. There’s something so special about admiring art in sacred, silent spaces, together with complete strangers. In museums, time is suspended; you can forget about the outside world and lose yourself in the paintings, sculptures, and other artwork around you.


This week, let’s write some stories inspired by art and museums. Think about some of your favorite galleries, or consider creating a brand-new museum the world has yet to see. Let your imagination run wild, and maybe even try writing in a new genre. For this contest, the sky’s the limit!

This week's prompts

Write about a gallery whose paintings come alive at night.

Fantasy – 66 stories

Write about someone who accidentally destroys a museum’s most valuable artifact.

Funny – 31 stories

Write about an art thief who is struggling to commit the perfect heist.

Adventure – 31 stories

Write about two characters who meet and/or fall in love in a museum.

Romance – 98 stories

Start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight.

Thriller and Suspense – 38 stories

Stories

“To the Hinge Date who took me to the Portland Art Museum” by Lila Weiser

Submitted to Contest #242

Medium: Art MuseumArtist: Two young adults- strangers- on a first dateCa: Early September 2023Title: The first question you had asked was what is your favorite type of art? I stuttered, said I didn’t know. (Give him nothing, girl!) I wasn’t expecting that question.You still liked me, though. What did you see in me? (That I can’t see in myself?) I don’t think I have a favorite type of art. I’m not sure.The guy(s) I previously had(n’t) gone out with had never asked. (I had only gone out with them in my head).I was wearing my white Ni...

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“The Woman in the Painting” by Leo Kai

Submitted to Contest #242

Lus liked solitude. Quietness suited her, it allowed her to observe not only the magnificence of the nature around her, but also the nature within. To recollect her thoughts and feelings was calming, and it worked best when alone and in silence. Not to say she couldn't enjoy or appreciate the bustle of the city, the conversations of strangers, the laughter of children, or even the low humming of cars or the loud honking of its inhabitants. Her low heels clicked on the pavement in a steady rhythm, the golden sun beaming down on her face. Righ...

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“The Wanderlust Museum” by Christine Ahern

Submitted to Contest #242

                                        THE WANDERLUST MUSEUMShe knows what it is about the painting that makes her want to crawl into it or peek behind it. It’s the light. The moon has its own light source. The stars are shining pin pricks. She stands in front of the painting, stepping closer and closer. She tilts her head to the side. Steps cl...

2 comments 2
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“Neon Tears” by AJ Diaz

Submitted to Contest #242

Neon cascaded, as it had a tendency to do so. He flew down the paved streets on his Harley Davidson, even as the hoverboards and flying cycles and sedans passed and gathered, over his head and all sides. And the neon washed over him in waves. The light layer of water from the morning’s rain didn’t react much to the throw-off from the motorcycle. And he didn’t know why, but he felt that like today would be different. Like something monumental would happen. He’d opened his mind to the idea, only last night. He felt he would meet...

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“An Evening Conversation” by Barbara Ferguson

Submitted to Contest #242

“Excuse me, ma’am, the museum is closed. I’ll have to ask you to leave.” Alex’s key ring jingled as he walked toward the woman sitting on the bench in the museum’s newest exhibit. It was a sarcophagus and collection of artifacts found in and around a tomb in what had been Persia, on loan from the National Museum of Iran. The woman’s hair fell over her shoulder as she turned to face him and smiled. He stared. Her combination of dark hair and eyes and pale glowing skin was ethereal and he wondered when or if he’d ever seen a woman so captivati...

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“Altered Trajectories ” by Shawna Burge

Submitted to Contest #242

Altered TrajectoriesBy Andy Pearson © 2024 “Brush strokes – drone drone drone”             “Shifted Perspective -buzz buzz buzz”             “Focal point rendering -  hum hum hum”             The drone from Charley Brown’s teacher filled my head as I followed along with the group. Taking a museum tour of the art of the Impressionist period was not my ...

2 comments 2
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“El Gato de la Muerte” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #242

Dominic sipped espresso as he watched the cat. The thing was all angular bones under tufted black fur, it slunk low to the ground, making Dom think of the Grinch as it stole the Whos’ Joy. Looking at this poor creature, Dom felt his own joy ebbing away. The thin dark woman selling fish tacos flapped her apron, “Sal de aqui!” she screeched as the cat did also. Dom went to the woman’s stall and pointed at the fried fish. She narrowed her eyes as she assessed his station in life. She could have been 30, she could have been 50, her skin was taut...

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“To Paint My Love” by Michaela Gallien

Submitted to Contest #242

Seven months. Two hundred thirteen days. Countless hours of taking him in and drawing. We’ve fallen into a coincidental pattern. The museum is a place of refuge for me, to be inspired by great artists before me. I’ve filled numerous sketchbooks with my own renditions of their work. Customized color palettes, different line work, or concept. It's where I feel the most myself. A variety of murals, sculptures, and portraits have given me plenty to work with. But it was the moment my gaze fell on him, the feeling of my heart skipping in my chest...

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“The Thumping” by Aidan Kuemmerle

Submitted to Contest #242

The museum's intercom crackled on with train station static.   "HELLO NORVIL MUSEUM!" I ducked at the sound, trying to escape it, cracking my ear drums. He spoke fast, like a sports announcer, at the most critical part of the game. "Welcome to your nightly broadcast from your FAVORITE night guard! As always, we must get the boring things out of the way before we have! Some! Fun!" His voice trailed up and down with the meter of a radio host. It was well practiced. "If there is ANY other human in this fine establishment other th...

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“museum of you” by William Ghostkeeper

Submitted to Contest #242

Museum of you  Well that’s not very funny, it was just a stupid  pun, what other funny moments are here okayyy just mostly an empty long hallway, what what’s that. What? That that’s me! Why does this museum have a video of me working, wait where is everyone from my tour group , I … I did have a tour group right? “Hello!” “ Is anyone here!?” “Security!” “Help!”  and if they were going to pick a video of me they should’ve used a more interesting one like… or like the time that I… well of course the time that I OH MY GOD! This v...

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“Survivor” by Denise Glickler

Submitted to Contest #242

I am trapped. Of all the museums to be trapped in overnight, this is the one I would choose last. I’d much prefer the Museum of Science in Boston, or the Louvre in Paris. So many museums to be trapped in, but this one is the most frightening. I haven’t got a phone charger. I’ve checked. Ten times. Yes, I know the likeliness that a phone charger would appear out of nowhere is beyond infinitesimal, but one always has to allow oneself to hope, so I checked. And checked. No luck. Let me check again. Nope. No charger. And no battery charge. The p...

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“The Roar of the Lion” by Zavier M. Ames

Submitted to Contest #242

Tarek has been searching for any signs of the mysterious scholar for nearly a week to no avail. Disguised as a merchant aiming to journey across the seven seas, he arrives at the port city where the man he seeks is said to have arrived. "Young man! Haven't I seen you before?" Nine days have passed and he has journeyed hundreds of miles away from the university where he saw this very same young man. This could indeed be a good sign.The student gasps as he sees Tarek, recognizing him immediately only to run as fast as possible to warn his alli...

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“Night at the Gallery” by Patrick De La Vega

Submitted to Contest #242

The Studio Valley Island Gallery. An art gallery located near the beach and is well known in the local area. While it is not as notable as other more famous galleries and museums as, let’s say, the Louvre in Paris, it does its job.  However, while the Louvre may have its Mona Lisa, the Studio Valley Island Gallery has its own quirk. One that the world does not know of.  “Clear!” The crow calls out.  “Finally.” She stretches her body, as Max and Carl, the monkey and cat respectively, go about their business once the owner of th...

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“After-Hours in the Louvre” by Barbara Myatt

Submitted to Contest #242

                                         After-Hours In the Louvre At the end of the day, the Louvre closes its doors on the last visitors of the day. The night porter checks through the echoing galleries, switching off lights as he goes. Silence reigns. “I think they’ve all gone now,” whispered Victorine. “Can I put some clothes on. It rea...

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“Midnight in the Gallery 2” by Paul Simpkin

Submitted to Contest #242

Following the miraculous events described in my previous story Midnight in the Gallery (which you can read on my Reedsy page under the prompt about somebody being locked in a museum overnight) I continued to volunteer at the gallery. To be completely honest, it was quite dull but dullness was something that I wanted at that stage in my life. I didn’t want too much excitement. I wanted a level of stability that wasn’t too stressful or difficult. I wanted calm and security.We approached the one year anniversary of the weird events of that magi...

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$250

Prize money

264

Contest entries

118

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 22, 2024 EST

Won by Niamh O'Dea 🏆

Title: Do Not Touch

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

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