As part of our upcoming Mad Tea Party celebration, we invite writers from across the Hugo House community to share a short piece inspired by tea, community, and connection. With your help, we hope to create a collective portrait of what it means to come together, exchange stories, build connections, and find belonging around a shared table.

Submission Guidelines:

• Submissions are limited to 500 words or fewer.
• Submissions must explore the intersection of tea, community, and connection.
• Include the title of your piece in your submission document. Your title does not count toward the word count.
• You may submit only one piece per participant.
• All genres of writing are accepted.
• Upload your submission as a Word document (.doc or .docx). PDFs will not be accepted.
• We do not accept submissions that discriminate against others, contain gratuitous violence, or plagiarize existing works.
• Please do not submit work that has been previously published.
• Authors retain rights to their work and may submit their selected pieces elsewhere after the event.
• We will edit for spelling but not grammar, so please review your submission carefully.
• The deadline to submit is Friday, August 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
• Selected participants must be available to read their piece in person on the evening of Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Hugo House rooftop Mad Tea Party.

Selected Contributors:

A selection of contributors will be invited to read their work during our Mad Tea Party celebration on the evening of Thursday, August 20, and will receive complimentary admission for themselves and a guest, adding their voices to an evening of storytelling, reflection, and celebration.

Prompts:

If you're looking for a place to begin, consider one of these prompts:

• What does community at Hugo House mean to you?
• What does gathering around a table and sharing a cup of tea have in common with building community?
• What memorable conversation, connection, or moment in your life unfolded over a cup of tea?
• What does it mean to make room for someone in a creative community?
• If Hugo House were a tea, what kind of tea would it be, and why?

Come up to the rooftop, bring a story, pull up a chair, and pour yourself a cup. Whether you've been part of Hugo House for years or have only recently tumbled down the rabbit hole and found your way here, your voice always has a place at our table. At Hugo House, there's always room for one more. We can’t wait to read your work!