WHEN they put the annual short-story competition into cold storage last year, organisers of Ipswich Arts Festival weren’t prepared for wails of anguish.

There was – admits Sara Newman, who’s behind Ip-art’s literature events – nothing short of an outcry. “I wasn’t really aware that it was such an important opportunity for writers in the region,” she admits.

“From the feedback, I learnt how difficult it was to have your writing heard: how important it was to be part of a wider circle when writing can be such a lonely occupation; what confidence it could give to a writer when shortlisted; how the festival provided a focus for literary energies and provided the spur to complete abandoned pieces.

“One newly-published writer told me it was a story being shortlisted that gave her the confidence to go on to write her novel.”

Not surprisingly, the competition – part of the festival since 2007 – was reinstated for this year . . . and drew a record 127 entries.

The winner will be revealed on Friday (June 29) by Norwich-based writer Sarah Hall. The author of short-story collection The Beautiful Indifference, Sarah is judging the shortlisted entries.

The theme for 2012 was “Recover”, with entrants limited to 500 words.

Sarah will announce the results at the end of Friday evening’s Ip-art event in the Spiegeltent – a mirrored tent installed in Ipswich’s Christchurch Park for the summer.

The event will see Sarah and Man Booker Prize-shortlisted author MJ Hyland discussing plot, character and place with BBC Radio Suffolk presenter (and EADT allotment columnist!) Georgina Wroe.

The start-time is 6.30pm and tickets are �8 (concessions �6). Box office 01473 433100. Web: www.ip-art.com