Deadline: 13 May, 2024

Find Out More: https://artfulscribe.co.uk/news/92/new-forest-writer-in-residence-role-at-countryside-education-trust

Opportunity from: Artful Scribe

ArtfulScribe (AS) is pleased to announce its first Writer in Residence role aimed at connecting the landscape and forest inhabitants with wider audiences through written and/or spoken word responses to the New Forest and its environments. The residency will be based at The Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu – one of the few places in the UK bringing farming, conservation, and climate education together. The residency is funded by the New Forest National Park Authority’s sustainable communities fund which is a grant scheme to strengthen the wellbeing and sustainability of communities within the national park.

We are seeking an experienced writer with a history of publishing, who is keen to position their writing within the context of the New Forest National Park, and can respond to the range of seasonal activities that take place at The Countryside Education Trust. This Residency represents a substantial opportunity for the selected writer to establish new networks and to focus their work in a rich and diverse setting. The Residency will be developed specifically in relation to the selected writer, their practice and the proposed focus of their residency proposal.

ArtfulScribe invites expressions of interest from writers who have both a knowledge of and interest in nature and environmental writing. We anticipate working with a pro-active, creative, and flexible Writer-in-Residence who is also open, and approachable with experience of engaging directly with the public. Expressions of interest should include a cover letter explaining your interest in this opportunity and proposed focus of the residency (max. 1,000 words), biography, along with links to any other relevant or online content and examples of recent writing practise to be submitted via email as a single PDF or Word document. A panel comprised of representatives for New Forest National Park Authority, The Countryside Education Trust, and ArtfulScribe will meet and agree a shortlist for interview. The interview will be conducted by the same panel of three.

The fee will be £5,000 for a commitment of up to 40 days over a maximum 12-month period with hot-desking provided at The Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu. As part of the residency the Writer-in-Residence will be expected to maintain a regular blog/journal/podcast and hold a series of public events that develop different voices in the community. The residency will culminate in an offer of publishing support from ArtfulScribe to produce a small publication in conjunction with The Countryside Education Trust and the New Forest National Park Authority. We are open to the form this could take with the potential for workshops, recitals, screenings, performances, pamphlets, bookworks, zines, etc.

For further information or to discuss this opportunity further please contact: matt@artfulscribe.co.uk