Two Edinburgh writers selected for AIR Gothenburg Residency

by Keira Brown
Communications, Edinburgh
City of Literature Trust

20 Sept 2024

Gothenburg City of Literature have announced the lucky writers selected for their Writing Residency

It's a mix of writers from the Creative Cities Network, including two with Edinburgh backgrounds. AIR Literature Västra Götaland gives writers and translators from all over the world space and time for artistic development by offering residencies at several locations in Västra Götaland. Katalina Watt and Frances Cannon have been selected for residencies in Art collective Mölndal and Villa Martinson in Jonsered.

Frances Cannon

<strong>Two Edinburgh writers selected for Gothenburg AIR Residency</strong>

Frances Cannon is a writer, editor, educator, and artist. She is the author and illustrator of several books: 'Walter Benjamin Reimagined' (MIT Press, 2019), 'The Highs and Lows of Shapeshift Ma and Big-Little Frank' (Gold Wake Press, 2017), 'Tropicalia' (Vagabond Press, 2016), 'Uranian Fruit' (Honeybee Press, 2016), 'Sagittaria', (Bottlecap Press, 2022), 'Predator/Play' (Ethel Zine, 2020), 'Fling Diction' (Green Writers Press, 2024), and 'Queer Flora, Fauna, Funga' (forthcoming with Valiz Press in 2026). Website: frankyfrancescannon.com Instagram: @frankyfrancescannon X: @francesartist

'I am honored to have been selected for the AIR Literature Västra Götaland residency in the Villa Martinson cultural center in Jonsered, through the Literary City Gothenburg UNESCO programme. I will be writing and illustrating a biography of Isobel Wylie Hutchison— a late 19th/early 20th-century Scottish woman who traveled globally, gathering botanical specimens, painting, and writing—struggling privately with her sexuality, gender, and spirituality. I am also editing a book titled Queer Flora, Fauna, Funga, and I will be juggling these two literary projects during my time in Gothenburg.'

'I'm absolutely delighted to be selected for the AIR Litteratur Västra Götaland Literary Residency via the Gothenburg UNESCO City of Literature. I can't wait to work with the Konstkollektivet during my time in Sweden and have the supported opportunity to work on my writing.’

Katalina Watt

Katalina Watt's debut fantasy novel is forthcoming in 2026 and their writing was Longlisted for Penguin Write Now 2020, and awarded a 2021 Ladies of Horror Fiction Writers Grant. As founding Audio Director for khōréō, they won 2022 Ignyte Award for Best Fiction Podcast and were finalist for 2023 Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine.

Here at Edinburgh City of Literature we are delighted that writers across Edinburgh and Scotland have – through our Cities of Literature network – access to programmes like the AIR Litteratur Västra Götaland Literary Residency. It’s a fantastic opportunity for creative development.

If you work in literature and would like to find out more about worldwide opportunities through our network read our resource on working internationally.