Submissions to the 2015 Langston Hughes Creative Writing Awards are now being accepted through Dec. 18 on behalf of the Lawrence Arts Center and Raven Book Store.

Two awards are given annually: $500 to a poetry entry and $500 to a fiction entry. Unpublished writers who live in Douglas County and are at least 21 years old are encouraged to submit manuscripts online at langstonhughesaward.submittable.com.

Judges this year are Elizabeth Schultz, Denise Low, Mary O’Connell, Tasha Haas, Megan Kaminski, and Darren Canady. The awards serve to encourage contemporary writers who work through life’s difficulties and document experiences through the poetry and prose, much like Hughes did.

The winners will be announced at a public award ceremony held on Hughes’ birthday, Feb. 1, that will also feature birthday cake, live music and readings of Hughes’ work.