Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature - virtual residencies call

Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature is organising virtual residencies to place writers from other Cities of Literature with 11 organisations across Melbourne and Victoria. The call is open to writers resident in UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world. 

Each writer in residence will be connected with their selected organisation and will be required to produce agreed upon content for the organisation. This content will be any three of the following (or three of just one of the following):

• A workshop.
• A written piece.
• An appearance/ panel.
• A social media takeover.

The residency will also include opportunities for meetings with all the writers in residence, introductions to all organisations, and facilitated further connections with Melbourne as a City of Literature.

Virtual writers in residence will be paid AUD$2000 (~1250 EUR) and retain all copyright for their work.

The host organisations: 

• Australian Poetry is looking for a poet to commission for its annual publication and literary festivals program.
• Blarney Books & Art is seeking an author to connect its rural writing community with the world.
• Emerging Writers’ Festival is looking for an emerging writer to connect with fellow emerging writers in Melbourne in peer-led workshops and feedback sessions.
• The F Project  would love to welcome a writer to provide challenges and inspiration for its community of writers.
• La Trobe University is seeking a writer whose work has been translated to participate with the Art, Culture and Community research cluster. 
• Melbourne Writers’ Theatre is looking for a playwright to connect and inspire its community of playwrights.
• State Library of Victoria is looking for a writer to create content that will help the public discover the curiosities and treasures from its online State Collection. 
• The Little Bookroom is looking for a children’s creator to use its store to celebrate children’s literature. 
• The Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Library is seeking a writer to engage with its library collection, adding a fresh voice and perspective. 
• Stella is looking for a writer who is passionate about celebrating women’s writing to celebrate 10 years of Stella.

Applicants must be resident in one of the UNESCO Cities of Literature. Within the ASEM region, this includes: Barcelona (Spain), Tartu (Estonia), Angouleme (France), Edinburgh (UK), Heidelberg (Germany), Wroclaw (Poland), Nottingham (UK), Utrecht (Netherlands), Granada (Spain), Obidos (Portugal), Krakow (Poland), Milan (Italy), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Dublin (Ireland), Manchester (UK), Uyanovsk (Russian Federation), Norwich (UK), Lahore (Pakistan), Wonju (Korea), Dunedin (New Zealand), Nanjing (China), Bucheon (Korea).

Melbourne is the home for writers, independent publishers and bookstores in Australia and was the second City of Literature as well as the first Creative City in Australia.

Deadline: 6 September 2021