Edinburgh City of Literature Writer's Room Open for Applications
Keira Brown
Communications Executive
Edinburgh City of Literature Trust
11 March 2024
Would you benefit from a paid desk residency in the heart of Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature?
The Writer’s Room is a private space in our office, on the top floor of the glorious John Knox House, on the Royal Mile – in the heart of Edinburgh’s literary quarter. This project is in its pilot phase and, writers can use this space as a desk residency to experiment and create work.
We are partnering with the Society of Authors in Scotland, and the Scottish BPOC Network are sharing this opportunity through their channels, to help us reach across the writing community to authors who would benefit most, including working-class, diverse, and other under-represented writers.
What is the offer?
The space will be available within working hours Monday-Friday, and with all office costs covered and the option for support and advice on making connections in literary Scotland and globally through our networks.
Through the Writer’s Room project participants will receive £1,000 with free desk-space in an office in John Knox House across two months. To the writer we offer flexibility, so that they can choose when to use the space and it fits around their life and other commitments. It must sit within the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust’s working hours.
Alongside this we will offer support and insight from the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust’s staff, drawing on their ample experience in the sector.
What difference will this make?
Our charity created the UNESCO City of Literature designation, secured it for the city in 2004 and each year we work to maintain it. We have used it to grow an international network of 53 Cities of Literature in 39 countries, and through them we bring opportunities to writers to work internationally. Locally, we have created a wide range of projects to connect readers and writers to Edinburgh as an amazing literary place, and champion Edinburgh as the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature.
Recent research led by Literature Alliance Scotland tell us that writers/literary freelancers average annual full-time income in Scotland in 2022 was £21,140 – just under the Living Wage with 66% making under £20k. Our Writer’s Room creates a new paid income programme for writers to help build their career and their portfolio, opening other opportunities. It is also a space for us to champion and support the amazing literary talent in our city.
We need help and feedback from those writers taking part in the Writer’s Room to assist us in evaluating it, and by applying you are agreeing to help us shape the project.
Summary
• Space - a writing space in a self-contained private office within Edinburgh City of Literature, located in the John Knox House, in Edinburgh’s old town on the Royal Mile.
• Time – a consecutive two-month period per writer, between April - November 2024, to use on a flexible basis, within working hours Monday-Friday (eg, one day a week for two months, one complete week each month etc).
• Money - £1,000 per writer to be paid in two instalments (and to cover all the writer’s costs as they choose to use it).
How do I apply?
We are currently accepting applications for the Writer’s Room. Applications are open until 5pm on Monday 8 April 2024. If you have any questions about the programme or your application, you can contact Keira on edinburgh@cityofliterature.com.
To apply for the Writer’s Room, please fill in the questions in this short application form and complete the equal opportunity monitoring form. The information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The successful candidates will be chosen by random selection by Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and will be announced in April 2024. We will let you know via email about the outcome of your application.
What are the criteria for applications?
Applicants must be over 18 years old, and be members of the Society of Authors in Scotland with an EH postcode and/or who identify as Black or a Writer of Colour with an EH postcode.
What about access?
Our office is on the top floor of John Knox House, one of Edinburgh’s oldest buildings and up a tight spiral staircase. The applicant must be able to easily navigate that space and those restrictions. We are investigating other possible spaces, but the pilot will run in this space.