Published: 13 Dec 2016
Applications for Fellow now open, deadline Monday 16 January, 2017
Aberdeen City Council has been selected by Creative Scotland to host the 2017 Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship within their Creative Learning department. Writers are now invited to apply for the post of Fellow, with a deadline for applications of Monday 16 January, 2017.
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship offers a writer the opportunity to spend dedicated time to develop their practice in partnership with a leading literary organisation. The selected Fellow will receive a stipend of £20,000 and Creative Learning will receive £5,000 to enable the hosting of the Fellowship.
The Fellowship will explore the theme of ‘The Folk, Language and Landscape of the Northeast’ and is open to established writers living and working in Scotland. The Fellowship will increase the visibility of available support for writers in the Northeast and the viability of the region as a place for creative writers to come and to grow.
To be eligible for the Fellowship, applicants must have published at least one novel, one collection of short stories, one poetry pamphlet or had one professional production of their work staged. View full details of how to apply.
Kate Latham, Artistic Pathways Manager, Creative Learning said: “We are delighted to be hosting the fourth Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship. Much of our recent work has focused on meeting the needs of emerging and established writers from the Northeast through our highly successful The Writers’ Room Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme. The fellowship will allow us to run a second programme in tandem with hosting the chosen writer, so there will be a real impact on the wider creative writing scene in the Northeast and beyond.”
Aly Barr, Head of literature, Creative Scotland, said: “The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship was established to pay tribute to a Creative Scotland colleague whose commitment to and passion for literature benefited writers and literary organisations across Scotland. This Fellowship presents an exciting opportunity for a writer to have the space and time to create work and we are delighted to be working with Aberdeen City Council’s Creative Learning department for the 2017 Fellowship.”
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship was launched in 2013. The first host organisation selected was the Association for Scottish Literary Studies (ASLS) at the University of Glasgow. Following an open call for applications to become the inaugural fellow, they appointed Kirsty Logan. In 2014, Moniack Mhor was selected as host for the fellowship, and they subsequently appointed Jen Hadfield as their writing fellow. The most recent host in 2015/16 was the National Library of Scotland who appointed Angus Peter Campbell.
ENDS
Creative Learning, Aberdeen City Council is based in Rosemount Community Centre Aberdeen. The organisation’s vision is to make Aberdeen a city where arts, culture and creativity are an intrinsic part of life and its mission is to improve outcomes for individuals and communities through the arts, culture and creativity. One of Creative Learning’s current projects is Inspiration Point which celebrates the wide range of creative opportunities and progression routes in Aberdeen and the Northeast; the fellowship will be officially launched at the Inspiration Point celebration weekend at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen on 17 and 18 February 2017.
How to apply for the Fellowship:
The Fellowship is open to established writers living and working in Scotland. To be eligible for the Fellowship applicants must have published at least one novel, one short story collection, one poetry pamphlet or had one professional production of their work staged.
Please apply by sending:
The deadline for application is 5pm Monday 16 January, 2017
Applications can be sent by email to: ShaStrachan@aberdeencity.gov.uk
or by post to: Shane Strachan, Creative Learning Team, Education and Children’s Services, Aberdeen City Council, Top Floor, Rosemount Learning Centre, Belgrave Terrace, Aberdeen, AB25 2NS
For any enquiries relating to the fellowship please contact: Shane Strachan, Creative Project Practitioner ShaStrachan@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Interviews, if necessary, will be held in January 2017 at Creative Learning’s offices in Aberdeen.
Dr. Gavin Wallace was a central figure in Scotland's literature world for many years. Gavin joined the Scottish Arts Council in August 1997 as Literature Officer and later moved on to become the Head of Literature, a position he held for eight years before being appointed as Portfolio Manager for Literature, Publishing and Language at Creative Scotland in June 2010. Gavin previously worked as a teacher, lecturer, critic, journalist, editor and broadcaster, and was an Associate Lecturer in Literature and the Humanities at the Open University in Scotland from 1991-2001. He carried out graduate and postgraduate study, in English and Scottish Literature, at the University of Edinburgh. For more information about Dr. Gavin Wallace, please visit: www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/targeted-funding/gavinwallacefellowship
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
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