November Opportunities 2020

We have compiled a small list of some exciting opportunities with upcoming deadlines for writers and literary organisations alike. Keep up to date with opportunities for writers by signing up to our newsletter and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Due to the current situation in Wales regarding the Coronavirus, we suggest that anyone interested in taking part contacts the organisers directly for the most up-to-date information.

The Authors’ Emergency Fund – rolling

Applications are open to all professional authors who are resident in the UK or British subjects – including all types of writers, illustrators, literary translators, scriptwriters, poets, journalists and others – for whom author-related activities make up a substantial amount of their annual income.

For more information, visit: https://www.societyofauthors.org/Grants/contingency-funds#:~:text=The%20Authors’%20Emergency%20Fund,-Emergency%20funding%20for&text=Many%20writers%2C%20illustrators%2C%20journalists%2C,talks%2C%20performances%20and%20school%20visits.

The White Pube Writers Grants – rolling monthly

The White Pube Writers Grant is £500 given out monthly to a working class writer based in the UK. This grant has been set up to support writers of all ages who are early in their careers and would benefit from this no-strings attached financial support to help them in whatever they like – be that money to cover time to write, books, web hosting, printing, subscriptions, research, development, travel, or even just money to fund life expenses and rent.

For more information, visit: https://www.thewhitepube.co.uk/writersgrant#:~:text=This%20grant%20has%20been%20set,development%2C%20travel%2C%20or%20even%20just

Wales Poetry Award 2020 – 27 November

After 55 years of publishing contemporary poetry in 212 issues (and counting) of its magazine, Poetry Wales hosts its second year of Wales Poetry Award, a national competition to discover the very best international contemporary poetry.  Wales Poetry Award is open to single poem entries from new and established poets from Wales and beyond, with 3 awards and 10 highly commended prizes to be won.

For more information, visit:  https://poetrywales.co.uk/award/

Festival Director, StAnza – 6 November

StAnza are looking for a creative, dynamic and hard-working person with a passion for poetry to take up the freelance role of Director of StAnza, Scotland’s annual international poetry festival, which is based in St Andrews. The salary is £18,000, pro rata.

For further information, visit: http://stanzapoetry.org/blog/director-vacancy

Digital Collaboration Fund – 18 November

British Council are offering grants of up to £50k to organisations in the UK and selected countries overseas to collaborate digitally on international projects. In response to increasing restrictions on global travel due to Covid-19, and rising concerns about the sustainability of face-to-face collaborations, we are now looking for new ways to foster these international connections. The Digital Collaboration Fund aims to address this challenge. Through a series of grants, we are supporting organisations to devise new virtual ways of working internationally, in turn creating a climate-friendly approach to international collaboration and artistic exchange.

For more information, visit: https://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/digital-collaboration-fund?utm_source=ukarts&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dcf

Emerging Writer Residency – 23 November

The Charles Causley Trust is pleased to announce a new Emerging Writer Residency opportunity at Cyprus Well, in Launceston, Cornwall (the poet’s former home owned by the Trust).

The Residency will be for a 2-month duration and is for emerging writers interested in the work and legacy of Charles Causley and is part of our larger, two year project, Ignite. This project is grant aided by Arts Council England with significant support from Cornwall Council, Launceston Town Council, Exeter University and Plymouth University.

For further information, visit: https://causleytrust.org/2021-emerging-writer-residency/

Tŷ Newydd – Virtual Winter Retreat: Developing your brand as a writer – 24-26 November

For our Winter Retreat, communications expert Anna Caig will run three virtual workshops on developing your brand as a writer. She will also be available for a short one-to-one tutorial with each writer to discuss your work and your journey as a writer. We will also enjoy two evening events – one with the Sunday Times best-selling writer, Clare Mackintosh, and another with Head of Publicity, Fiction at Bloomsbury Publishing – Ros Ellis. From £150 per person

For more information, visit: https://www.tynewydd.wales/course/winter-retreat/

Professional Development Programme for Writers of Colour – 4 December

This opportunity is open to writers of colour over the age of 18 who are currently living in Wales. Writers working in a variety of literary forms can apply. As well as novels, poetry and short stories, these forms can also include scripts, live and/or digital performance, graphic novels and writing for children.

Applicants may be new to the world of writing, or may have just started on their journey and need support to reach the next level. They may be fairly established already as a writer but find that there are barriers to reach their full potential, or they may want to experiment with a different literary form or language.

Applications are open to writers working through the medium of Welsh, English, or any of Wales’ other languages, although we can only assess initial applications in Welsh or English. Writers who are not currently fluent in Welsh but are looking for an opportunity to improve their written and creative skills in Welsh can also apply and will be supported in this programme.

Every selected writer will receive a fixed award of £2,000. Writers can choose how to use this award, for example to buy equipment to write, or take time off work to concentrate on the programme and/or their writing. An additional sum of £450 will also be paid to cover accommodation, travel and subsistence costs when taking part in activities away from home and to purchase tickets for literary events and festivals.

For more information, visit: https://www.literaturewales.org/our-projects/professional-development-programme-for-writers-of-colour/

Rising Stars Wales 2021 Awards – 8 December

This opportunity is open for early-career writers to develop their creative practice. Over the course of the year, the successful Rising Stars Wales 2021 applicants will receive a financial award, as well as a coaching session from the previous winner of the 2020 Award, Alex Wharton. In addition, the poets will have the opportunity to discover more about the publishing and literature sector from expert professionals at Firefly Press, as well as on-going support and advice from the team at Literature Wales.

Up to 5 writers will be selected for the Rising Stars Wales 2021 Award and will receive:

• A cash prize of £100 each*
• Join the other successful applicants in a 2-hour coaching session with Alex Wharton, the previous winner of the Rising Stars Wales 2020 Award
• The possibility to have selected works published in the Rising Stars Wales Anthology
• A group ‘Industry Insight’ workshop with award-winning publisher Firefly Press
• A group training session focusing on writer development opportunities with Literature Wales staff

For more information, visit: https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-news/call-out-for-submissions-rising-stars-wales-award-2021/

Wales Young Poets Award 2020  – 15 February

The competition is open to poets aged 10-17 living in the UK at the time of submission. Poems can be sent in Welsh or English and must be inspired by the theme ‘Empathy’. Find more information and entry forms here: https://poetrywales.co.uk/gwobr-beirdd-ifanc-cymru-yn-lansio-heddiw-wales-young-poets-award-launches-today/

Namibia-Wales ‘Stories for Children’ Competition – 30 April

Cardiff University & the University of Namibia are asking up-and-coming as well as experienced authors to submit short stories, written in English, suitable for children aged between 7 and 15 years.

For more information, visit: https://www.bmc.wales/short-stories-for-children-comp