International residencies and capability building programmes play a significant role in encouraging cultural exchange between countries. To support Singapore writers’ participation at such platforms, the National Arts Council (NAC) works with various international partners to offer fully paid residency awards to Singapore writers across Singapore’s four major languages, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Our partners have included the Lu Xun Academy of Literature (China), the Toji Cultural Foundation (South Korea), the National Centre for Writing (UK), Sangam House (India), and the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program (USA).
Open calls for residencies happen throughout the year and will be listed on this page when they are open for applications.
[Now open for applications!]
NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL (NAC) – INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM (IWP) FALL RESIDENCY 2024
The National Arts Council is pleased to partner with the University of Iowa’s renowned International Writing Program (IWP), to offer a fully-paid, 11-week residency for up to two Singapore writers in 2024.
The residency is open to writers who write in any one of Singapore’s official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The selected candidate will be required to be conversant in English. The final candidate to be selected and funded every year is subject to the merits of the candidates who apply and the competitive assessment criteria as outlined by IWP.
Fall Residency Program Dates: 1 September – 17 November 2024
Application Deadline: 9 June 2024 (Sunday), 2359hrs
About the Residency: Administered by the University of Iowa, the International Writing Program (IWP) is the oldest and largest multinational writing residency in the world. Since 1967, over 1,600 writers from more than 160 nations have taken part in the Fall Residency. The goal of the IWP is to provide authors a one-of-a-kind inter-cultural opportunity and the time and space to write, read, translate, study, conduct research, travel, give readings, stage work, and become part of the vibrant literary and academic community at the university and in Iowa City, the only American city designated as a UNESCO City of Literature. For more details: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/residency/this-years-program
Residency Duration: Over the course of 11 weeks, aside from working on their own projects, writers will give readings and lectures that share their work and cultures, collaborate with artists from other genres and art forms, and travel and interact with American audiences and literary communities across the United States.
Residency Schedule at a glance: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/residency/events
Residency Funding: The 2024 Writer-in-Residence will be awarded full residency support, including a stipend to cover meals and other incidentals, and have their airfare, visa fees, housing, transport and insurance costs covered while they attend the residency.
Application Procedure: To apply, please download the Application Guidelines and the Application Form. All applications are to be submitted through email to gladys_chua@nac.gov.sg and must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:
- Completed application form;
- Representative sample of a past work in English (between 10 to 15 pages long);
- Detailed curriculum vitae of applicant, focusing on applicant’s literary works; and
- Proposal letter (which includes the writer’s statement of purpose, objectives, outline, activities, and details of the new work to be written during the residency).
| Dates | Milestones |
| 9 June 2024 (Sun), 2359hrs | Applications close |
| July 2024 | Notification of results |
| 1 September - 17 November 2024 | Residency |
National Centre for Writing (NCW) – Singapore Residency Programme 2024 [Applications closed]
| In-Person Programme | Virtual Programme (part-time) |
1-month, in-person residency at the National Centre for Writing, in Norwich (UK) in the months of:
| 6-months, online, part-time residency with the National Centre for Writing (UK) from:
|
About the National Centre for Writing (UK): The National Centre for Writing (NCW), previously known as Writers’ Centre Norwich, has had a long history in working with writers and writing. As a major literary arts portfolio organisation in the UK, it is funded by the Arts Council England and has strong links with the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT). Based in Norwich, one of the UNESCO Cities of Literature, NCW aims to be a physical and virtual space for writers, literary translators and those working in the world of literature to meet, learn and collaborate. In addition to their literary programming for the reading public, NCW organises workshops, mentoring and other opportunities for writers and translators at different stages in their career, and participates in projects that range from international partnerships to literary festivals. More details here: www.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk.
| In-Person Programme | Virtual Programme (part-time) |
| The selected participants will receive a stipend to cover meals and have their airfare, lodging, transport, insurance and capability development costs (to participate in workshops / activities required by the programme) covered while they attend the residency. | The selected participants will receive an honorarium to work on their proposed project(s) and have their capability development costs (to participate in workshops / activities required by the programme) covered while they attend the residency. |
| Date | Event |
| 8 May 2024 (Wednesday), 2359hrs | Applications close |
| May 2024 | Notification of results |
| June 2024 | Start of virtual residency |
| July 2024 | Start of in-person residency |
| Key Residencies | In-Person or Virtual | Country | Duration | Approximate Dates |
| National Centre for Writing Residency Programme | In-person | UK | 1 month | Typically in June or July |
| National Centre for Writing Virtual Residency Programme | Virtual | Anywhere | 7 months | From June to December |
| University of Iowa’s International Writing Program Fall Residency | In-person | USA | 3 months | From late August to mid-November |
| National Centre for Writing Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme | Virtual & In-person (optional) | Anywhere / UK | 6 months | From October to March |
| Sangam House | In-person | India | 1 month | Between November to January |
| Toji Cultural Foundation | In-person | South Korea | 2 months | Available year-round |