IWC/Cúirt Young Writer Delegates Programme 2021

We invite ambitious young writers aged 18-26 to apply for this extraordinary opportunity to attend and contribute to Cúirt as IWC/Cúirt Young Writer Delegates.

Programme Description

Now in its fourth year, the IWC Young Writer Delegates Programme is intended to give young writers an opportunity to immerse themselves in a literature festival, soak up the atmosphere and to contribute to it as active participants. The selected four young writers will attend the festival events, and reflect on their experiences through social media.

During this period, they will be supported by an IWC facilitator and local writer mentor to reflect on the festival and share their views via Cúirt and the IWC’s social media platforms.

Please note

This year, the Delegate Programme will be taking place online. The mentoring element will consist of exclusive Zoom workshops with the mentor and delegates, and we will place a special focus on social media.

Eligibility

This programme is open to writers aged 18-26 living anywhere on the island of Ireland with strong interest in writing, reading and an ambition to connect with and contribute to the Irish literary scene.

We encourage young writers from backgrounds typically underrepresented in Irish literature to apply. We particularly invite applications from BIPOC, Traveller, Roma, LGBTQIA+ and working-class writers. We will place a strong focus on ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality and socioeconomic status when evaluating the applications for this opportunity.

How to Apply

You will need to send:

• A short cover letter including home postal address saying clearly and concisely why you would like to be selected as a Young Writer Delegate and how you think you can contribute to the festival using social media or other platforms to draw attention to the festival.
• A Curriculum Vitae (max. two A4 pages) including any written work which may have been published online or in print.
• Two differing samples of work (max. 500 words each)

Compile ALL of the above into a single attachment in Word or pdf and send to projects@writerscentre.ie. Incorrect formatting will disqualify.

Criteria for selection

• Eligibility – Participants must be resident on the island of the Ireland for a period of not less than one year
• Intent – the cover letter expressing the applicant’s intent and reason for taking part is key in informing our decisions.  Be sure to tell us your ideas on how your presence as a delegate will add value to the festival
• Geography – we are seeking applications from all over the island
• Incomplete or late applications cannot be not considered