America's premier amateur philosophy contest, The Great American Think-Off, released its 2011 essay and debate question, "Does Poetry Matter?" at midnight on Jan. 1.
The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center will host its 19th annual Think-Off with live debate on Saturday, June 11th.
The debate is based on entries in a preliminary essay contest, which has an April 1 deadline.
Four finalist essay writers will be selected and invited to participate in the June debate. A $500 cash prize is awarded to each finalist, as well as travel and lodging.
This year the focus is on poetry (and the broader field of all the arts). Essayists and debaters may wish to address the role of the poet (artist) in society, whether poetry (and art) can be a vehicle for change either personally or in the larger world, and in what way poetry may play a role in the creation of community, beauty, and creating new ways of perceiving the people and world around us.
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Entering the competition is easy. Just submit an essay of 750 words or less by the April 1 postmark date. You may send your essay in one of three ways: through the mail, to Great American Think-Off, New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, P.O. Box 246, New York Mills, MN 56567; by e-mail, to think-off@kulcher.org (no attachments) or submit your entry online at www.think-off.org .
There is no submission fee--submissions are accepted at no charge to writers.
The names of the four finalists will be announced May 1. The audience attending the debate chooses the ultimate winner, who will be named "America's Greatest Thinker" for 2011.
