Upcoming Opportunities
Open Call for Nanjing International Writers’ Residencies 2025
Applications close Sunday 1 June 2025
The Program
Nanjing is offering 6 residencies in 2025 to writers, poets and translators from all UNESCO Cities of Literature.
Nanjing International Writers Residency means to bridge the city’s literary community with its international counterparts. This yearly program was initiated in 2019. To this day, over 30 writers, poets, comic writers and translators from the subnetwork have been hosted by the program.
Nanjing boasts a literary tradition of over 1800 years. The city served as China’s capital for about 400 years across six dynasties. Besides having the cultural legacy built through those dynasties, the city has made an impact in modern Chinese literature, a possible unexplored treasure house for international writers.
The Theme
The theme for 2025 program is “Literary Masters and The City”. Some literary masters, like the great poet Li Bai, and the modern time master of novels and essays Lu Xun, have written great works during their stay in Nanjing. Their spirits continue to inspire people generations after generations in many ways, their legacy is what the city of Nanjing remembers through multiple events every year. With the 2025 program, we would like to invite six writers to deeply experience the life in Nanjing. This may include the literary events, reading clubs, cultural adventures, city walks, random encounters and meetings etc., simply to probe into diversified aspects of Nanjingers’ life today.
We hope that the daily life in Nanjing will become an inspiration for literary creation, and that literature will ultimately light up the brilliant sparks of our lives.
The Timing
Open call for applications: from Thursday 15 May till Sunday 1 June
The final decision will be announced before 15 June
The residency: happens between 15 July and 30 July
What We Offer
10-15 day in-person residency in Nanjing City of Literature;
Tours to culture landmarks and literary places in Nanjing;
A selection of local literary activities;
Dialogue with Nanjing writers, poets, translators, literary organizations, and students;
The flight tickets, food, accommodation and local transport will be provided;
And stipend of 1200 USD for each writer-in-residency.
What We Expect
Selected participants are supposed to
Be connected to a UNESCO City of Literature (either a resident or one who works or studies in that city, or has other connections with that city as recognized in writing by a UNESCO City of Literature office)
Have at least three-year experience in writing, or at least one published work ( book in print, all genres acceptable), or have received awards that are recognized by your local literary communities.
Be willing to interact with Nanjing’s literary communities, emerging and established writers; as well as to partake in local literary activities;
Write a piece of work in English (no less than 1000 words, or 50 lines for poetry) that is inspired by the residency, or translate Chinese stories, poems or prose into English; (All the virtual writers will retain the copyrights of their works. Please understand the works might be used for promotional purpose by Nanjing Literature Center)
Be fluent in spoken English, or Chinese;
All applicants are supposed to submit
A CV with a passport photo and a life size photo;
Extracts from his/her published works;
Proof in writing of his/her connection with a City of Literature, when applicable.
Please send all the required materials to the following contact prior to the date mentioned above.
Contact
Sifan Zhao
info@njliterature.org or zhao.sifan@njliterature.org
+86 13701587791
Ronald Duncan Stipends for Southwest Writing. These Stipends are funded by a donation from the Ronald Duncan Literary Foundation to continue the his legacy of experimental and cross-disciplinary writing.
Each year, three talented writers will have the chance to explore our incredible archives to inspire new creative works. We’re looking for innovative minds eager to engage with our collections in fresh and exciting ways, producing original writing and sharing their journey with the public.
While the University of Exeter Special Collections (Exeter & Penryn campuses) will be the core focus, we welcome projects that connect with other heritage organisations, weaving rich narratives across multiple collections.
Each year one of these stipends may be offered in partnership with another organisation and take a specific focus. For 2025 we are partnering with Exeter City of Literature to offer one of the stipends to a writer from another UNESCO City of Literature. You can find more about this particular stipend here.
What’s in it for you?
✅ £2,000 stipend to support your time and expenses
✅ Up to £500 for outreach and engagement activities
✅ Specialist guidance from our expert Special Collections team
✅ Access to a vibrant network of university partners & professionals
The deadline for applications is: Sunday, 15th June (Midnight)
More information: https://libguides.exeter.ac.uk/archives/Duncan_Stipends
Ongoing Opportunities
Barcelona
Faber, Residència d’Arts, Ciències i Humanitats de Catalunya a Olot
Faber offers working stays and exchanges for creative people, researchers and professionals in different areas, for scientists, writers, researchers, writers, artists, humanists, musicians, etc. Our residents have the best working conditions and an environment to accompany their projects. In Faber, there are eight spacious rooms, designed to provide comfortable working conditions. There are also several common areas where the residents will be able to exchange their experiences with each other, with the public and with institutions. The Residency is a space open to people from all over the world. Faber will take care of the residents’ stay, providing accommodation, half-board (breakfast and dinner) and a fully-equipped kitchen in case the residents would like to prepare their own lunch. Faber does not cover any travel costs. There is no per diem.
The Faber Residency is open to all disciplines related to arts, sciences, and humanities. It is offered six times per year, for four-week periods. Faber organizes several thematic residencies throughout the year where professionals from the Arts, Sciences or Humanities can come to spend a few days working on their projects and sharing experiences with the rest of the residents. During the stay, the residents collaborate in activities directed to students, professionals or public in general; activities in accordance with a project that will take into account previous demands and needs. Check the website for dates.
Organized by Ajuntament d’Olot (Olot City Hall) and Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government)
Jiwar Creació i Societat
Jiwar has a special interest in receiving non-occidental writers and artists, as well as artists in danger or requesting political asylum because of dangerous situations in their countries of origin. Live and work in a comfortable space. Artists need to provide their own economical resources or grants, which Jiwar can help to obtain by writing letters of support or welcoming. During the stay of the artist, Jiwar offers to accompany the creative process and is able to organize once a month presentation of the work in progress. No meals or per diem are included.
Organized by Mireia Estrada Gelabert
Reykjavik
The Writers’ Residence in Gunnarshús
Open to visiting writers or translators, this program offers a flat in Gunnarshús – the Writers’ House in Reykjavík rented for a minimal fee, for a period of 1-8 weeks.
Organized by Writers’ Union of Iceland
The Writers Residence in Gröndalshús
Gröndalshús is the charming former home of writer, illustrator and scholar Benedikt Gröndal (1826-1907). This writer’s home in the heart of the old town in Reykjavík has been renovated and opened as a cultural house and residency in 2017, run by the Reykjavík City of Literature.
The ground floor houses a residency flat for visiting writers, artists, scholars and translators of Icelandic literature who want to work in Reykjavik. It can be rented for a period of 2 – 8 weeks. The fee is 42.000 ISK pr. week which is well under the market prize of lodging in Reykjavík. The flat is fully furnished, with free wifi and is situated in the heart of the city within walking distance from all major cultural institutions, restaurants and other attractions. An additional charge of ISK 3.500 pr. week is charged for each additional guest.
For availability and further information, please write to bokmenntaborgin@reykjavik.is.
Iceland Writers Retreat
The Iceland Writers Retreat is an annual opportunity for writers to participate in a series of workshops and panels led by an esteemed team of international writers. Between intimate workshops and lectures they’ll offer the chance to tour the spectacular Golden Circle, sit in the cozy cafes of Reykjavik, soak in geothermal hot springs, listen to new Icelandic music, meet contemporary Icelandic writers, and learn about the country’s rich literary tradition. Dedicated blocks of time throughout the retreat allow participants to focus on their writing.
Dunedin
The Robert Burns Fellowship
The Fellowship provides an office in the English Department and not less than the minimum salary of a full-time university lecturer, for one year. It is open to writers of poetry, drama, fiction, biography, autobiography, essays or literary criticism who are normally resident in New Zealand, and who, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, have established by their published work, or otherwise, that their writing would benefit from their holding the Fellowship.
Application open March-June
Organized by Division of Humanities, University of Otago
The University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence
Remuneration of $28,000 is jointly funded by the University and Creative New Zealand and includes an office in the College. The 6-month residency is offered in association with the Robert Lord Writers’ Cottage Trust which provides rent-free accommodation to writers in the historic Titan Street cottage bequeathed by the late playwright Robert Lord. The Residency is open to established children’s writers who are normally resident in New Zealand.
Organized by Division of Humanities, University of Otago
The University Book Shop and Robert Lord Writers’ Cottage Trust Summer Writer in Residence
The Residency is offered in association with the Robert Lord Writers’ Cottage Trust which provides rent-free accommodation to writers in the historic Titan Street cottage bequeathed by the late playwright Robert Lord. The 6-week residency offers a stipend, and an office and administration base at the University Book Shop. The recipient will be an emerging writer in any genre who, in the opinion of the University Book Shop Summer Writer in Residence Advisory Group, has established, by their published work or otherwise, that their writing would benefit from the Residency.
Organized by The University Book Shop and Robert Lord Writers’ Cottage Trust
The Caselberg Trust Creative Connections Residency
The Caselberg Trust, Dunedin, New Zealand, invites writers, composers, visual and performing artists to complete their creative projects in a harbourside cottage, situated on the Otago Peninsula, a well known haven of creativity and inspiration for many artists. Residencies can be funded or self-funded/sponsored.
The Caselberg Trust’s ‘Creative Connections’ Residency support projects that reach out and make links across a variety of creative media, professional disciplines, and communities relevant to the planned project. Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to engage in a creative project and processes, to collaborate effectively with creative media, and with communities relevant to their identified project. The residency is 3 months.
Organized by The Caselberg Trust
Krakow
Visegrad Fund
The Fund is an international donor organization, established in 2000 by the governments of the Visegrad Group countries—Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to promote regional cooperation in the Visegrad region (V4) as well as between the V4 region and other countries, especially in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions. The Fund does so by awarding €8 million through grants, scholarships and artist residencies provided annually by equal contributions of all the V4 countries. Other donor countries (Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States) have provided another €10 million through various grant schemes run by the Fund since 2012.
Edinburgh
Fellowships Programme for International Visitors
The University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) was established in 1969 to promote interdisciplinary research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. It provides an international, interdisciplinary and autonomous space for discussion and debate. Since its foundation more than 1000 scholars from 66 countries have held Institute fellowships; and up to 28 Fellows are in residence at any one time. Housed in a secluded 18th-century courtyard overlooking the Meadows, the Institute is adjacent to most centres of University activity.
Organized by The University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH)
Obidos
Obidos Literary Residency Program
The Obidos Literary Residency Program allows each author to stay between two weeks and up to two months. The Municipality provides a space for accommodation and the creation of the candidate project. The involvement of the author-resident in the community is increased, although the main objective of his/her stay is writing.
The objective is to welcome authors from all over the world, allowing them to immerse themselves in an environment of refuge, suitable for relaxing and creating works, as well as contact, in a privileged way, with Óbidos, its history, and identity. Proposals will be selected according to their cultural interest, consistency with the candidate’s path, and feasibility of the project. Applications are accepted all year.
