Circular Residency – UNESCO Cities of Literature Call for Applications Norwich – Québec

Norwich and Québec City are collaborating with three other UNESCO Cities of Literature on a Circular Residency project. The aim of this exchange is to forge strong, shared bonds between the partner cities, their literary ecosystem and their writers, as well as to raise the profile of the UNESCO City of Literature designation. In 2024, Norwich is hosting a writer from Krakow, and Québec City is hosting a writer from Norwich.

Residency in Québec City
The writing residency will run from 1 to 31 August 2024 and will be hosted by the Maison de la littérature, in the heart of Québec City’s historic district, included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. Québec City is also part of the global UNESCO Creative Cities network, as a City of Literature. Find out more about Québec City and its surroundings here.

In addition to the writing residency, the Maison de la littérature houses a public library, writing rooms, a graphic novel studio, a creative studio, and a theatre, which stages a programme of literary events.

During their residency, in addition to working on their artistic/creative project, the visiting writer will be asked to write a text (fiction or non-fiction, up to 1000 words) that captures their experience of the host city. The text will be used for promotional purposes, and to serve as a guide for future residents.

Travel and accommodation

The writer will be offered free accommodation in an apartment in the Maison de la littérature, in Québec City. For more information, and photos, please see the appendix.

The National Centre for Writing will cover the cost of economy class travel to and from Québec City and will pay a stipend of £350 per week towards living expenses.

The writer should take out their own travel and health insurance for the period of their journey and stay.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to writers based in England. Writers applying for this residency in Québec City should have some connection with Norwich, whether they’ve lived, worked or studied in the city, or featured it in their writing.

The residency is open to published writers of novels, short stories or poetry, children’s or young adult literature or literary non-fiction. The application should include:

- a covering letter explaining:

• why you wish to take part in the residency, what you will bring to it and what you hope to get out of it


• a description of the manuscript or project on which you will work


• Norwich connections


• why Québec City

- a short curriculum vitae, listing publications in your own and other languages

- writing sample (up to 1,000 words)

Please send the application to residencies@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk with the subject line Norwich-Québec residency. The deadline for applications is 25 March 2024. and the successful applicant will be informed by 15 April 2024.

Selection criteria

The selection will be carried out jointly by Québec City UNESCO City of Literature and the National Centre for Writing, based on the eligibility requirements, the residency objectives, and the evaluation criteria below:

- Project quality (including aesthetic research and contribution to the discipline or to practice, and originality of the project)
- Benefit to writer (including writer’s progress to date in the literary milieu and the likely impact of this residency on their career)
- Benefit to the host city (relevance of the project for the host city and opportunities for cultural activities)

For more information, check out the website for the Maison de la littérature

 

photo: Maison de la littérature