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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

“Ham, Cheese and Picasso” by James Bird

Submitted to Contest #242

“Well… well…” There was a brief pause. “Well?” “Well!” the security officer said, leaning over the desk so closely that his nostril hairs almost tickled Connor’s face. “I don’t think you realise the kind of trouble you’re in, do you son?” he said, his words laced with false authority and disapproval. The teenage boy sitting opposite simply shrugged and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. The room was small and certainly not intended to be for interrogations. Looking now at what was on the desk in front of him, Connor noticed that beside...

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“The Midnight Sonata” by J.B. Redel

Submitted to Contest #242

Marcel's patience began to wane after thirty-six hours of being confined to an eight-by-four box. His joints ached, begging for the freedom to stretch. He hoped the delivery would come sooner than scheduled, as he was now dangerously low on his meager water and food supply. Also… he didn’t know how much longer he could stand the smell of dust and chemicals emanating from the other body with which he shared the small space. Marcel cursed as the box suddenly lurched, jostling him and causing the body to fall onto him. Gagging, he gently p...

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“To See is Not to Notice the Obvious” by Ava Morgan

Submitted to Contest #242

Roman Hallowe liked to think of himself as the ultimate collector. There wasn’t a single gallery that had been able to protect itself from his…let’s call it talent. Because that was the way Roman’s head was wired; his skills were God given, how could he ignore them? And after his last heist up in Northern Canada, where he managed to snag a once in a lifetime piece by none other than Paul Cezanne, his skills felt more perfected than ever. Of course, it had all gone rather smoothly. He went in, averted the security, took the canvas,...

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“Love & Loss” by Julie Christensen

Submitted to Contest #242

It went quiet in the museum, the hundreds of people inside holding their breath, waiting for impact. Pia huddled behind her favorite statue, Reddish, his wings spread out in front of her, providing the illusion of further protection. The ground shook, windows rattled, and thunderous booms filled the air. Pia closed her eyes. Outside the safety of the magical wards, more of their town crumbled. She knew the Dunlors bombed their city out of boredom. "Not much to do tonight," she imagined they'd said. "Let's go drop some fire on those Oals, wat...

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“A Romantik Trajedy” by Mayt Huested

Submitted to Contest #242

item 1 / BSA $25,000 for $38.52. “What’s BSA?” Kevin whispered to Margo. “I don’t know anything about art. Neither do you. How did we even get invited?” she whispered back. Kevin shrugged as he and Margo looked over the bid sheet for the art show. 24 titles that all had “BSA $25,000” before them. Except for item #7. That...

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“Four Years and Four Months” by Natalie Wills Parker

Submitted to Contest #242

She stared deep into the eyes of a stranger — a portrait of a stranger, rather. Framed in gold, it sat on the gallery wall meeting her face-to-face. As she gazed upon it, the words, “What do you feel?” echoed her mind. She felt a sense of peace wash over her, noticing the twinkle in its eyes and the glow in its face. Four years and four months ago she found herself in this very spot, before this very wall. The wall was empty then, though it wasn’t supposed to be. “Shit,” she mumbled to the blank wall. She held up her wrist and read...

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“Loves Excavation” by Shereese Jones

Submitted to Contest #242

"Excuse me, is it possible to speak with the head curator in charge of the Cuisine on Ice Exhibit?" I inquired politely at the Front Desk of the Walton Museum. The woman behind the desk regarded me as if I wasn’t worth her time–glaring like some scab lingering too long. After a brief pause, she replied in a condescending tone befitting a suburban housewife, "Are you from the Atlantic Star or the Artist Prompt?" Her eyebrow arched as she scanned me from head to toe, seemingly convinced I didn't belong. I could already tell getting past Mrs “I...

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“Locked Away” by Sarah McCormick

Submitted to Contest #242

Locked AwaySarah McCormick What do you mean? “This is all my fault!” Well, you said you wanted to go to the escape room in the haunted house at the museum. And you said you felt we were drifting apart and needed some more time together. Yes, I did, do you not agree? No, babe, I think we’re doing ok all things considered. Besides, you said your friends had the keys to this place. They do! It is not my fault that the entire block lost power and the vault door locked! Ok, so again, HOW AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE? Babe, I’m s...

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“Little Boy Blue and His Striped Balloon ” by Leilani Velazquez

Submitted to Contest #242

“Lilia. You’ve gotta think. Where did you see Thomas last?”Lilia sighed heavily, staring blankly down at her palms. “We went to the museum.”.“What … museum?” “In the woods. Oh, ma. I’m sorry. I really really am.” Lilia scrunched her face and sat weeping in her chair. “Officer Rick”“It’s pronounced Rick-ee, ma’am”“Officer Ricky, You’ve gotta believe I had NO idea about Lilia and her friend sneaking off into the woods like this. I wouldn’t have allowed it. We’ll talk about this later young lady, but you need to give us more informati...

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“Exhibition” by Olivia Scates

Submitted to Contest #242

“You ready, kiddo?” Mickayla looked up at her dad, his hand poised to open the door. She was just sorting through her backpack that was laid haphazardly on their leather couch, trying to find the notebook she had stuffed in earlier. “Yeah, just give me a second.” Mickayla shoved her hand deeper. “Aha! Here it is!” She pulled out her worn, leather journal with a sheepish smile. “What? You never know, I might meet Betye Saar, and I have to be prepared.” The circular glasses that engulfed his warm, almond eyes traveled down his angular nose as ...

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“The Curator's Conundrum” by Elina Feliu

Submitted to Contest #242

On this blustery early March evening in New York City, the weather played a sudden game of contrasts. In the early twilight, the sky dramatically changed into a pensive and brooding one. As Maximillian Bancroft from The Metropolitan Museum of Art rounded the corner to return to his job as Senior Curator, the sky also mirrored for him a night of what's to come. A night shrouded in turmoil, mystery, terror, crime, and utter clumsiness.As he walked closer and closer to the museum, clouds gathered in a sinister congregation. Their edges blurred,...

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“Captivating Art” by Dave Barnard

Submitted to Contest #242

In the Buttler Institute of American Art, in Ohio, Marc stood in a long hallway wondering what to do next. He missed the bus back to school. He was stuck in an art gallery. “I could call on my cellphone. That would be OK. By Dad's rules it would be a necessary use.” He got the phone with detailed directions about what was legit and what was not. “What if I just camp out here for a while? I’ve only camped out in fields before. No bugs this time. The scenery is easy on the eyes.” It was late Spring....

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“The secret of the gallery” by Arwen Schepers

Submitted to Contest #242

It was the gallery of the empress. Elodie had heard the stories, the rumours through out the city. How she had teams working on this feat. The living paintings, coming only alive at night. It was claimed that that was because of the decadence, the construction of the spell. Elodie wondered if it was not also a matter of skill, that the spells had to be structured that way to work rather than a choice they made. Still, Elodie was curious for the paintings. There were some things, uses really, coming to mind, depending on what the spells were ...

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“Whispers of Stone and Paint” by Hannah Deegan

Submitted to Contest #242

You know when you have that really long, deep sleep where your eyes get crusty by the time you awake. Well, that's what waking up every night for what I call the night shift is like. You’d think being stuck between four thick walls my entire life that I’d be claustrophobic. Fresh air is something I’ve never experienced though the air seems to clear up a bit in the dark with less people around. Nonetheless, I survive. It’s not living but what choice do I have? I’ve never left home. It’s certainly not for the lack of desire. Truthfully, I don’...

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“Prowling the Van Gogh's Hallways” by Tod Hughes

Submitted to Contest #242

Vincent stretched and climbed out of bed. He made his way to the corner of the room and gingerly stepped out of the frame of the picture, carefully gasping the sides, and lowering his body to the floor below. The hallway of the museum was semi-dark, but Vincent could make out the details of each of his works that hung on the walls. He had no way of knowing that his evening wanderings were within the confines of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, nor that it was the largest collection of his art in the world. All he knew w...

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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!

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