There is less than 48 hours left to apply for the Hay Festival Wales’ Writers at Work programme, one of the leading professional development opportunities in the country.
Taking place during Hay Festival Wales, which runs from Thursday 24th May to Sunday 3rd June 2018, the fully programmed week allows selected writers to attend masterclasses, workshops, and to network with UK and international writers, publishers, press and agents.
Previous members of the scheme include award-winning writers, such as Alys Conran, Tyler Keevil, Zillah Bowes, Mark Blayney and others – you can visit here and find out more about what the scheme has done for individual writers in Wales.
The unique gathering of the publishing industry that takes place at Hay will enable selected writers to create new work, increase confidence, skills, and to form peer group support. We also expect new networks to be created that can aid Welsh writers in navigating the changing ways the publishing industry works in a digital age.
The fully programmed week allows the selected writers to engage in the main Festival events, to attend masterclasses and workshops with British and foreign publishers, agents and, crucially, with established international artists. The writers work across genres: fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and script.
Since last year, the Writers at Work cohort has achieved many awards: a major short- listing for The International Dylan Thomas Prize, The New Welsh Writing Award, the Wasafiri New Writing Prize, a Wales Media Award, a Welsh Rising Star Award, a Hay 30 listing, and a Creative Wales Award.
This year, Writers at Work will focus on the written page and share their work with the public in four programmed sessions. They will also create new work in English and in Welsh on site during the Festival.
20 places are available – with bursaries for accommodation, travel from within Wales and subsistence on site. There is no age restriction. The festival site is fully accessible for wheelchair users and performance venues are fitted with induction loops. Guide dogs are permitted.
Hay Festival invites applications from poets, fiction (all genres) and non-fiction writers in English and Welsh. Eligible applicants are Welsh writers (born, schooled, or currently living in Wales) who show a clear commitment to professional development via evidence of publication.
How to apply…
Please email an application to writersatwork@literaturewales.org or awduronwrtheugwaith@llenyddiaethcymru.org that includes:
A writer’s biography – including professional experience, publication/s and publishers (no more than 200 words).
A statement outlining your commitment to professional development as a Welsh writer and how a place on the Writers at Work scheme will enhance this (no more than 200 words).
A short outline of your current project or work in progress (no more than 200 words).
Your application should not exceed two double spaced sides.
Closing date: Friday 6 April 2018, 5.00pm
For more information, and full T&Cs, visit the Literature Wales site here.
