Published: 13 Dec 2017
Playwrights’ Studio Scotland, the national organisation for the development of playwrights, has been selected by Creative Scotland to host the 2018 Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship.
Today’s news coincides with an open call for writers to apply for the 2018 Fellowship. Hosted by Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland, in partnership with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, applications are welcome from writers, playwrights, poets, librettists and lyricists looking to research, write and develop large scale dramatic work for stage on the theme of ‘Epic’. Details of how to apply can be found on the Playwrights’ Studio website. The deadline is 5pm, Tuesday 30 January 2018.
This project, which will see Playwrights’ Studio Scotland work with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, will support a writer to develop new exciting work that is grand in scale.”- Sasha de Buyl, Creative Scotland
The Fellowship offers writers the opportunity to spend dedicated time to develop their practice in partnership with leading literary organisation. The selected Fellow will receive £20,000 and Playwrights’ Studio Scotland will receive £5,000 to enable the hosting of the Fellowship.
Fiona Sturgeon Shea, Creative Director, Playwrights' Studio said: “We are thoroughly delighted to be selected to host the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship next year. It is such a substantial and important Fellowship that it felt appropriate to offer a writer the opportunity to think big, and to explore what writing an epic for the stage would mean to them. We look forward to supporting them in a way that suits their creative process and allows them the space and time to write.”
Sasha de Buyl, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland said: “We’re delighted that Playwrights’ Studio Scotland will host next year’s Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship. The project, which will see Playwrights’ Studio Scotland work with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, will support a writer to develop new exciting work that is grand in scale.”
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland. The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship was launched in 2013 to commemorate the lifelong passion, commitment, wisdom and support shown by Dr. Wallace for Scotland’s literary community. 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.
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. In 2015/16, the National Library of Scotland appointed Angus Peter Campbell. The most recent host was Aberdeen City Council’s Creative Learning department who appointed playwright, actress and musician Morna Young.
Media Contact: Sophie Bambrough, Media Relations & PR Officer, Creative Scotland, E: sophie.bambrough@creativescotland.com, T: 0131 523 0016, M: 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.
Playwrights' Studio, Scotland is the nation's only arts organisation exclusively dedicated to the long-term support, development and promotion of Scotland's playwrights. We work actively and creatively with playwrights, connecting them with audiences and organisations, for the ultimate enrichment and enjoyment of the people of Scotland and beyond. For more information visit www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk
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. A man of grace, humour and keen intellect, Gavin remained dedicated to literature in Scotland until his death in 2013.
