CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

READ residency program 2022

Introduction:

The READ Open Call for authors in residence aims to provide the authors from North Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania and Turkey the opportunity to get to know the literary, artistic and cultural scene in the region and to support the regional diffusion of literary work from the target countries. At the same time, the local audience is given a unique opportunity to be introduced to the work of the selected artists.

The resident authors will be hosted by the partner organizations in the five countries. Each partner organization will host two resident authors per year, and in total 10 residency grants are planned for 2022.

Eligible applicants: Regional and local writers, translators, playwrights, poets, illustrators, graphic novel artists, comic book writers and cultural journalists from North Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania and Turkey.

Section: Literature, translation, visual arts, journalism

Duration: 1 month stay

READ residency program 2022: The residencies will take place from May 2022 until December 2022, (the period depends on the chosen country).

Deadline for applications: 31 March 2022

Final selection: 20 April 2022

Apply to: https://rb.gy/d1zd7l

From the resident authors it is expected

• to work on the proposed project
• to entirely complete one shorter work (text, essay, poem, short story, article, comic, translation), related to the general topic "United in Diversity" contributing to reconciliation and intercultural tolerance
• to contribute to workshops, deliver presentations (some of which may be part of the mobile library tour),
• take active part in the literary festivals and project networking activities,
• have public reading sessions and so forth
• for translators: translated works must be from and into the languages of the project partner

The READ residency grant includes:

• one-month stay in fully equipped apartment;
• travel costs (up to 250 EUR)
• stipend in the amount of 1,350 EUR (gross)

Benefits for the authors in residence:

Our goal is to give the READ artists-in-residence the opportunity to develop a project over a fixed period of time and to reflect and consolidate their artistic practice in the specific context. Creative and innovative project ideas, as well as works dealing with contemporary and relevant topics will be given a priority.

• opportunities to participate in the city’s literary life,
• arrange contacts with local authors,
• translation of one text/ work produced during the residency in the local language and/or in English
• give interviews for the media,
• document the work created during the residency,
• promote the work on a website and social media

Eligibility:

Regional and local writers, translators, playwrights, poets, illustrators, graphic novel artists, comic book writers and cultural journalists are invited to apply for the READ residency program. We are welcoming both young and emerging authors as well as established and experienced ones. Eligible will be those, who have published at least two books/ works of their own or at least two translations.

The applicants must be residents of one of the following countries: North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Albania or Kosovo. The official language of the program is English and applicants must be conversant in English.

How to apply?

The application should be submitted through our application platform (https://rb.gy/d1zd7l) and it must include:

• CV of the applicant
• Portfolio of completed projects (please submit min. 2 examples of work, relevant to the project you would like to develop)
• Motivation letter (1 page) showing interest in the residency, networking and other project activities, indicating the preferred period for the residency
• Description of the project (max.1 page) to be undertaken during the one-month residence. The application should be sent in

For more information, you can contact:

For authors from Albania: [email protected]

For authors from Kosovo: [email protected]

For authors from North Macedonia: [email protected]

For authors from Serbia: [email protected]

For authors from Turkey: [email protected]

Goethe-Institut Skopje: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram READ project page for more information.