Published: 19 Mar 2024
Scottish-Egyptian writer Rachelle Atalla has been appointed as the 2024 Dr Gavin Wallace Fellow, hosted by the Division of Literature and Languages at the University of Stirling and supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Image: Rachelle Atalla by Andrew Low
The year-long writing residency is designed to support Scotland-based mid-career and established writers to develop new work. Atalla will use the opportunity to research and write her fourth novel, The Refinery, which will centre around Grangemouth’s Petrochemical plant and the legacy it leaves behind as it plans to close its doors in 2025.
Atalla is a novelist, short story writer and screenwriter who grew up in the Falkirk area. Commenting on the award, Rachelle said: “As someone who grew up in Stirlingshire and who wishes to explore the heritage and legacy of home in the face of climate change, this appointment has come at such a pivotal moment in my career as a writer.
“I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity, support and belief the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship allows as I embark on my most ambitious, multi-layered and personal novel yet.
“I’m excited for the year ahead and I look forward to engaging with the people of Stirlingshire and the faculty and students in the Division of Literature and Languages, exchanging thoughts and ideas on the effects post-industrialisation has on the land and people of Scotland’s central belt.”
Alongside a stipend of £20,000 to fund her through the 12-month residency, Atalla will be able to engage with experts at the University, students on the MLitt in Creative Writing, and the general public through events and activities around the upcoming ‘Stirling 900’ celebrations. £5,000 is awarded to the host organisation to facilitate this.
Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Stirling, Dr Liam Bell said: “In a diverse and extremely impressive field of applications, which really showcased the strength of the Scottish writing community, Rachelle’s project fitted our chosen brief of heritage extremely well, with a thematic interest in the history of the industry and the economy of Central Scotland and an imaginative leap into what comes next for the region.”
Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, Harriet MacMillan said: “Rachelle is a dynamic voice in Scottish literature and this Fellowship comes at such an exciting point in her career. The University of Stirling is an ideal pairing with her work, given their expertise in both historical and speculative fiction, as well as their research into the climate emergency.
“The Fellowship is a uniquely valuable opportunity and over the years it has produced some truly stellar writing, inspired by the environment where it takes place. We look forward to seeing the work Rachelle creates as part of the Fellowship's esteemed cohort of authors. Our thanks go to the University as they support Rachelle through this project.”
The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship was established in 2014 in memory of Dr Gavin Wallace who dedicated his entire professional life to supporting Scottish literature. Following the sad loss of Dr Wallace in February 2013, Creative Scotland established an annual fellowship in his name to honour his memory and commemorate and continue his good work. The fund is supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Rachelle Atalla is a Scottish-Egyptian novelist, short story writer and screenwriter based in Glasgow. Her debut novel The Pharmacist was shortlisted for Best Fiction at the Scottish National Book Awards. In 2023, she published her second novel Thirsty Animals, and her third novel The Salt Flats will be published later in 2024. Her short stories have been published widely, she has written for BBC Radio 4, and she is the recipient of a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. In screenwriting, her first short film Trifle was commissioned by the Scottish Film & Talent Network, her first feature was developed with BBC Film, and she is now developing a film adaption of The Pharmacist with Compact Pictures and the BFI.
The University of Stirling’s Division of Literature and Languages is located in the Pathfoot Building at the University of Stirling, and houses the English Studies BA Programme and the MLitt in Creative Writing. Previous graduates include Iain Banks and Jackie Kay, with previous staff including Norman MacCaig and Kathleen Jamie. The University’s writing heritage is woven into the fabric of the building, with part of the eclectic Art Collection being the ‘House of Words’ which has poems from previous writing fellows displayed on the windows.
The National Lottery has raised more than £42 billion for over 625,000 good causes across the UK since 1994. Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £1.2 billion has been awarded in the last year to support communities and thousands of organisations across the UK to cope with the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
Jacqueline Munro, Media Relations & PR Officer (Interim)
Jacqueline.Munro@creativescotland.com
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