Six mid-career/established writers from West Africa and Scotland will be given the space and resources to create new work during two exciting cross-cultural residencies in the Scottish Highlands and in Ghana. Writers will also take part in a supporting digital programme of connection, which will expand the scope of the residencies. and facilitate the production of an anthology of Scottish and West African literature.
The writers will spend one month at Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre, and one month at the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora. During these residencies, participants will connect with local communities and build new audiences. Prior to and between the residencies, these six writers will connect and collaborate online, working towards the production of a digital pamphlet of work around the theme of Here and Now. This cross-genre work will be launched at a hybrid live/online performance event at LIPFest, the Lagos International Poetry Festival.
Full details of the programme timeline are outlined below, along with information on eligibility and how to apply.
This residency will include:
- Stipend of £2000 for each writer (£1000 per residency), plus travel, food costs, and accommodation;
- A digital platform and programme to share and collaborate with participating writers;
- Transport to locations of interest in the Scottish Highlands and in Accra;
- Transport to Lagos International Poetry Festival, accommodation and subsistence costs;
- Time and space to develop work and expand creative practice;
- Development of a digital anthology of work.
Participation in an event programme, including:
- Delivery of workshops/readings within local communities in the Scottish Highlands, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and in Accra;
- A final performance event and launch of digital anthology at LIPFest, Lagos International Poetry Festival.
| 2023 | HERE AND NOW RESIDENCY PROGRAMME |
| May, June, July | Digital collaborations beginning to work with the theme, Here and Now |
| 24th July – 20th August | Moniack Mhor Residency, Scottish Highlands This will include performance events or workshops with the local community, and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. At the end of this portion of the residency, the writers will submit a draft of work in progress to begin design of a digital anthology of work. |
| 20th August – 26th September | Digital collaborations to develop works in progress, further exploration of the theme. |
| 26th September – 25th October | LOATAD Residency, Accra, Ghana Including community engagement events or workshops. During this residency, writers will be asked to submit their final pieces of work for the digital anthology. |
| 26th October – 29th October | Final performance at LIPFest, Lagos, Nigeria Launch of digital anthology of work.This will be a live event, with digital audiences in West Africa and Scotland. |
Eligibility
The 2023 Here and Now Residency Programme is open to Scottish and West African established/mid-career writers. Applicants must have published at least one major work in poetry, non-fiction, playwriting, or songwriting: this could be a novel, a short story collection, a poetry pamphlet, an album, or a professionally staged production of work.
For the purposes of this residency:
- Scottish is defined as writers who are living in Scotland, or writers of Scottish origin who are now living elsewhere.
- West African is defined as writers who are living in West Africa, or writers of West African origin but are now living elsewhere.
Application
Please apply by sending one document including:
- A CV demonstrating your professional eligibility (maximum 3 pages) (i.e. writing achievements, publications and/or body of work)
- A covering letter explaining what this residency would mean to you and your work (approx. 500 words)
- A sample of your work (maximum 2,000 words of prose or 6 poems, doubled-spaced and single-sided; or equivalent for other forms of writing).
If possible, please send as:
- A Word document, saved as ‘Firstname_Secondname’
- Arial, Calibri, or Cambria font, 12pt
- Double-spaced
- Single sided
The deadline for application is Friday 12th August 2022, 5.00pm GMT+1. Applications should be sent by email to: residencies@moniackmhor.org.uk (subject line International Residency 2023).
If required, interviews will be held mid-October by Zoom. All applicants will be notified of the judges’ decision by 28th October 2022.
Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora 
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