Applications Open for Writer in Residence 2022

23 Sep 2021

The Arts Council and University College Cork invite applications for Writer in Residence for the calendar year 2022. The Arts Council Writer in Residence was established to provide a stimulating environment for the resident writer, and afford a degree of financial support to concentrate on their own practice. Additionally, the residency brings energy and dynamism to the university, and allows students and faculty to engage with a practicing writer for a concentrated period.

About the residency The Writer in Residence will be engaged for the calendar year 2022 and will be situated in the School of English and Digital Humanities in University College Cork, with the opportunity to engage with the wider campus. The residency will be divided into two parts:

1. From January to June 2022, the writer in residence will be supported to engage with students and staff. This programme of engagement will be designed by the resident writer, in consultation with the faculty of the university, and could include focused teaching, workshops, mentoring, public events or other activities which bring new energy to the creative writing programme. Contact time with staff and students during this time will be capped at 4 hours per week, and the writer will not be expected to deliver core curriculum.

2. From July onwards, the writer will be supported to concentrate his or her own practice.

The fee to the Writer in Residence is €30,000, with the Arts Council contributing €20,000 and the university €10,000. University College Cork will provide the Writer in Residence with a dedicated space, where they can conduct their own creative practice, within the university. University College Cork will also support the residency administratively.

Who May Apply?

The award is open to professional writers working in all literary genres and forms. Applications will be considered from writers of fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, graphic novels and children’s fiction and poetry.

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

• Be resident in the Republic of Ireland. There are certain exceptions where the Arts Council may deem eligible applications made by those based outside the Republic of Ireland. However, before admitting as eligible any such application, the applicant would need to write to the Arts Council and explicitly outline within the application how the outcomes of any such proposal would benefit the arts in the Republic of Ireland, and the Arts Council must be satisfied with same. Enquiries in relation to this should be directed to Sarah Bannan, Head of Literature, at sarah.bannan@artscouncil.ie
• Be professional practising artists. Although they might not earn income continuously or exclusively from their arts practice, applicants must identify themselves, and be recognised by their peers, as professional practising artists.
• In line with the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, the Arts Council is committed to ensuring that it takes positive policy measures to promote equality of opportunity for all those living in Ireland, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community. Furthermore, the Arts Council notes the ground of socioeconomic background as a further basis for which equality of opportunity must be guaranteed. The Arts Council therefore welcomes applications that are representative of the diversity of Irish society, including but not limited to any of the characteristics outlined above.

Making an Application

To make an application, writers should provide:

• A detailed proposal, which sets out how they would propose to engage with students, staff and the wider campus, and relevant experience to support this approach 
• A one page artist’s statement, which describes how the residency could impact on the artist’s practice 
• A detailed CV, setting out artistic achievements and accomplishments

• Applications should be sent to Eibhear Walshe at E.Walshe@ucc.ie by 5.30 pm on Thursday, 28 October 2020. Applications will be accepted by email only. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

• Assessment Process
• Upon receipt of applications, the Arts Council and University College Cork will establish a selection committee, which will be made up of two representatives from University College Cork, one from the Arts Council and an external panellist with literary expertise. The selection committee will shortlist applicants based on the following criteria:
• artistic track record of applicant 
• quality of idea/approach (referred to above), as outlined in the application
• potential impact of residency on writer’s own creative practice

A shortlist will be established (of no more than 6 writers). Shortlisted writers will be called to interview in mid-November. The interview is likely to be held via video conference call, in line with public health guidelines. The interview will allow the shortlisted writers to discuss their plans and experience in more detail. The panel will make the final decision based on the above criteria and decisions will be communicated by the end of November.