Published: 29 Sep 2017
Today, Friday 29 September 2017, Creative Scotland opened applications for Scottish-based organisations to host a writing fellowship.
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship aims to encourage organisations to connect with and support writers’ development, and provides an opportunity for mid-career and established writers to create new work over the course of a year.
Organisations applying to host the Fellowship are invited to suggest a broad theme, which should be related to their own work. The successful host organisation will then subsequently recruit a writing Fellow. An award of £25,000 is available and will be divided into a £20,000 stipend for the successful writer, and £5,000 for the host organisation.
Hosting the 2017 Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship has greatly increased the visibility of our work.- Shane Strachan, Aberdeen City Council
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship was established in memory of a much loved and respected Creative Scotland colleague, Dr Gavin Wallace, who dedicated his entire professional life to supporting Scottish literature.
The inaugural Fellow, Kirsty Logan undertook her fellowship in 2014 at the Association for Scottish Literary Studies (ASLS) at the University of Glasgow where she explored the theme of Place and its effect on personal identity. Moniack Mhor hosted Jen Hadfield in 2015 where she used the idea of flotsam and jetsam to explore themes of place and identity. In 2016, National Library of Scotland hosted Angus Peter Campbell where he was invited to look at the ways in which the Library’s collections reflect Scotland's past and present. Morna Young is currently being hosted by Creative Learning, Aberdeen City Council where she is studying the theme of the folk, language and landscape of the Northeast.
On hosting Morna Young within the Creative Learning department at Aberdeen City Council, Shane Strachan said: “Hosting the 2017 Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship has greatly increased the visibility of our work at Creative Learning and of Aberdeen's wider cultural scene in line with our chosen theme, 'The Folk, the Language and the Landscape of the Northeast'. During her time with us, Morna Young has already produced two plays related to this theme, as well as a host of readings and community engagements across the city; we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future."
Jenny Niven, Head of Literature at Creative Scotland said: “The Dr Gavin Wallace fellowship not only creates an opportunity for the appointed Fellow to develop and grow their writing practice and make an invaluable contribution to literature in Scotland, it also enables the host organisation to flourish in the same way by exploring an area of literary work that they may not otherwise do.”
The application deadline is 17:00 on Wednesday 1 November 2017. Completed application forms and supporting materials should be submitted by email to: drgavinwallacefellowship@creativescotland.com
See full details about the Fellowship and how to apply.
Sophie Bambrough, Media Relations & PR Officer, Creative Scotland
Email: sophie.bambrough@creativescotland.com
Tel: 0131 523 0016
Mobile: 07747 606 146
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship has been designed to support mid-career and established writers. The award is intended to provide one writer with time to develop their work over the course of a year, and the opportunity to work creatively with an arts organisation based in Scotland. The fellowship is aimed at allowing a writer time to create work rather than deliver creative workshops or other project based activities. Organisations applying to host the fellowship will suggest a broad theme or idea for the fellowship, this theme should be related in some way to their own work and priorities.
We will accept applications from arts, screen and creative organisations which are based in Scotland. Full details about the Fellowship and how to apply can be accessed here: https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/targeted-funding/dr-gavin-wallace-fellowship-host
A man of grace, humour and keen intellect, Gavin remained dedicated to literature in Scotland until his death in 2013.
Throughout his professional life, Gavin Wallace was a passionate advocate and supporter of Scottish writers and writing, greatly known and respected by everyone who met, knew and worked with him.
Gavin worked as a teacher, lecturer, critic, journalist, editor and broadcaster. For a decade he was an Associate Lecturer in Literature and the Humanities at the Open University in Scotland and he carried out graduate and postgraduate study, in English and Scottish Literature, at the University of Edinburgh.
He joined the Scottish Arts Council in 1997, initially as Literature Officer before becoming the Head of Literature — a post he held for eight years. In June 2010 he was appointed as the Portfolio Manager for Literature, Publishing and Languages for Creative Scotland.
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
