Services

Bursaries

Bursaries are awarded to support writers creating new work in the following genres: novels, short stories, poetry, literary criticism and factual prose of literary merit. Writing which does not fit neatly into these categories can also be considered. Plays are not eligible under this service. Bursaries will not be awarded to assist work on a thesis or any other piece of formal academic research. Applications may be made in more than one category.

There are 5 different bursaries available in two categories, Buying Time Bursaries and Enabling Bursaries:

Buying Time Bursaries:

1. New Writers’ Bursaries can be awarded to writers who have not previously published a volume of their work. At least 10,000 words of prose of work-in-progress or 15 poems must be submitted with your application. If you have had work published in anthologies and periodicals, please send samples with your application - one copy of each item.
Maximum award: £10,000

2. Published Writers’ Bursaries are for writers who have already published a volume or more of work. At least 4,000 words of work-in-progress OR 8 poems must be submitted with your application. Please send one copy of a sample volume with your application. These will be returned if requested.
Maximum award: £10,000

3. Children’s Writers’ Bursaries are intended for writers for children and young people in Welsh and English. Literature Wales is keen to encourage the following in particular:
i. English-language writers whose work has a Welsh background
ii. Writers producing longer novels in the Welsh language.
Applicants should provide a representative selection of the work-in-progress.the Bursaries Panel needs to see enough to form a view of your work.
Educational materials, general non-fiction books and picture books for children are not eligible.
Maximum award: £10,000

Enabling Bursaries:

4. The Miscellaneous Fund can offer small-scale support related to specific writing projects. Examples include travel costs, research, work in other languages, childcare, renting quiet space to write and other items. Applicants should supply detailed projected costs for travel / research.
This Fund does not support: illustrations, photography, stationery, website development, internet and phone costs, or course fees.
Capital grants (such as the purchasing of computers) are not available from this fund.
This Fund is not applicable for Buying Time.
Maximum award: £2,000

5. Enabling Bursaries for specialist equipment (For Disabled Writers only) are awarded to assist Disabled Writers. Examples can include aid for the following:
i. to purchase specialist equipment
ii. to assist with particular travel costs
iii. towards secretarial assistance such as editorial work, typing, printing etc.
iv. for training opportunities relevant to your writing
Literature Wales can also consider applications for assistance with other issues affecting disabled writers.
Maximum award: £2,000

Eligibility

Bursaries are awarded first and foremost according to excellence. However, due to the competitive nature of the scheme, applications which reach this standard may then be prioritised by the Bursaries Panel according to need.

Genre:
Plays, screenplays and scriptwriting are not eligible under this service.
General non-fiction books are not eligible, unless of literary merit.
Educational materials are not eligible.
Bursaries will not be awarded to assist work on a thesis or any other piece of formal academic research.

Residency:
Applications may be made by writers working in any language, who are resident in Wales at the time of their application and who will continue to reside in Wales throughout the duration of the Bursary [periods of research travel do not affect our definition of your permanent address].

Previous Bursary Recipients:
If you have received an Academi Writer’s Bursary during the last two years (2010 and 2011 Bursaries), you may not apply this year for a Literature Wales 2012 Bursary.

Commissioning Grants:
Recipients of Welsh Books Council commissioning grants are ineligible for funding under Literature Wales Writers’ Bursaries service.

There are no capital grants under this service, except for disabled writers.

Further information

Employment: For bursaries aimed at buying time, applicants must ensure that they are able take the time out if they are successful. You should check your position with your employer before applying for a bursary and ensure that your employer would allow you to temporarily take time out from work for the bursary period, if successful.

Payment: Bursaries are awarded to an individual writer and the bursary is payable directly to the bursary recipient. Under no circumstances can a bursary be paid to an employer, organisation or academic institution.

Dates of Bursaries: The earliest date the Literature Wales 2012 Writers’ Bursaries may start is 1 April 2012. Bursaries must be completed by 31 March 2013.  Bursary periods will begin on the first of a month.

Buying Time Bursaries:
For bursaries aimed at buying time, the amount awarded is partly linked with loss of income during the bursary period, whether waged or unwaged. The application asks you to estimate this figure.
Employed - Annual income and the sum applied for relates to your current income and your current employer only.
Self-employed or freelance writers should calculate the sum of their annual average income over the previous 2 years and give an estimated average figure for annual income. Then calculate the projected pro rata income which you would temporarily give up for the bursary period, if successful.

We will require a verified statement of income if your application is successful. The usual period of a bursary is between 1 and 6 months.

You will need to clarify with the Inland Revenue any personal tax implications of a bursary award. Applicants should seek professional advice on this matter. For further information on writers and tax please refer to the following articles:
Settling Accounts by Ian Spring, which is in The Writer's Handbook 2010 (Macmillan)
Income Tax by Peter Vaines, which is in The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2010 (A & C Black)

For bursaries aimed at capital purchases (for disabled writers only), research, travel etc. the Inland Revenue is likely to calculate a tax liability. Again, applicants should seek professional advice on this matter.

Successful bursary recipients will be required to send a brief mid-term report to Literature Wales together with a sample of work-in-progress. Literature Wales appreciates that progress may be slow, however we nevertheless need to see examples of what the bursary is buying. The final payment will be released on receipt of an end-of-term report. At this point we shall require to see evidence of work achieved, whether successful or not. Literature Wales will ask for complimentary copies of any work published as a result of the bursary.

Literature Wales wishes to welcome into Associate Membership of the Welsh Academy all successful bursary recipients. If not already a member, Literature Wales will enrol the recipient and deduct the annual subscription of £15 / £7.50 from the bursary cheque. Benefits of membership include a wide range of discounts on events and services as well as the ability to stay in touch with the literature scene in Wales.

Any work begun, developed or completed under the terms of the bursary award must carry an acknowledgement to Literature Wales. The exact wording must be discussed with Literature Wales before publication.

Publication grants: Literatue Wales is not responsible for publication grants. Queries in this area should be directed to the Welsh Books Council, Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, SY23 2JB (01970 624151 www.wbc.org.uk or e-mail them at wbc.grants@wbc.org.uk). Literature Wales maintains a list of publishers (on this site) and you may also wish to cross-refer to Literature Wales Mentoring Service for Writers and Publishers, for which separate guidelines are available.

Literature Wales welcomes enquiries regarding any matter of detail concerning your application.If you have any particular difficulties in completing an application, please let us know and we shall arrange alternative ways for you to apply for a bursary.

Applications must be sent by post to Literature Wales. Email applications will not be accepted.

The 2011 Academi Writers’ Bursaries were announced in March 2011.
Click here to find out who has been awarded a bursary in 2011

The closing date for 2012 Bursaries has now passed: (Friday 28 October 2011)

2013 bursaries.
Application forms for 2013 Bursaries will be available in August 2012.

Closing date for 2013 Bursary applications: 
Friday 26 October 2012.
 

The Adjudication Timetable for 2012 bursaries is as follows:
The Bursaries Panel will assess the bursary applications during the period November 2011 and January 2012. The Bursaries Panel will meet in February 2012. Every applicant will be individually informed by letter of the Bursary Panel’s decision in March 2012. It is anticipated that the names of successful bursary recipients will be announced in March 2012.

The 2012 guidelines can be downloaded from this page, see box at the foot of the page for the link to the documents.

For further information on the members of the Bursaries Panel click here

Literature Wales Writers’ Bursaries
Literature Wales
Chief Executive: Lleucu Siencyn
Mount Stuart House
Mount Stuart Square
Cardiff CF10 5FQ
tel: 029 2047 2266
fax: 029 2049 2930
post@literaturewales.org
 

Literature Wales is the National Company for the development of literature in Wales. Literature in Wales includes Yr Academi Gymreig, the Society for Writers and Ty Newydd Writers' Centre.
Registered Charity Number 506402. Literature Wales works with the support of the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government.

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