Support Schemes for Writers (Arts Council of Northern Ireland 26/27)

The Irish Writers Centre is pleased to announce a new round of support schemes for writers from or residing in Northern Ireland, made possible with support from the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. These supports include 20 course bursaries and 20 Irish Writers Centre memberships.

In keeping with Goal 2 of our 2022-2026 strategy, these schemes will enhance opportunities for people across all communities to participate in creative writing and enhance their writing practice.

Scheme 1: Course Bursaries Scheme

Scheme 2: Membership Scheme

Applicants can apply for both schemes as long as they are eligible under each individual scheme.

Scheme 1: Course Bursaries Scheme

The Irish Writers Centre will provide 20 bursaries for beginner and emerging writers. These bursaries will enable writers to develop their skills through funded places on Irish Writers Centre creative writing courses, and open access to individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford it. Each awardee will receive course credit worth €200 towards a course. The Irish Writers Centre facilitates up to 160 courses a year for writers at every stage of their career. We provide a range of in-person and online courses including novel writing, short story, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Browse our courses here.

Eligibility:

To be eligible, applicants must be:

• Beginner and emerging writers*
• Over the age of eighteen
• Living on the island of Ireland, and are either from or residing in Northern Ireland.
• From a background typically underrepresented in the arts in Ireland.**

*Emerging writers are those who can demonstrate a commitment to writing e.g. creative writing courses undertaken, journal publications, awards or notable mentions, or other recognisable achievements.

**We aim to provide equality of opportunity for all those living in Ireland, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community, as well as socio-economic background. This scheme is specifically for writers from backgrounds typically underrepresented in the arts on the island of Ireland: Minority Ethnic, Black or Person of Colour, D/deaf, neurodiverse or disabled, LGBTQIA+, Member of the Travelling Community, Roma and Unwaged / Low-Income.

How to apply:

Applicants must apply via the Submittable link below where they will be asked to write a short answer on how they would benefit from receiving an Irish Writers Centre Course Bursary (350 words max) and provide a short sample of their creative writing (500 words max).

Please click here for the application form for the ACNI Course Bursaries Scheme.

Deadline: Friday 27 November at 11.59pm

Scheme 2: Membership Scheme

Irish Writers Centre membership connects our community of writers. Benefits include discounts to our courses, masterclasses and events, as well as discounts with selected Irish bookstores. Members can also avail of exclusive member networking events or simply enjoy writing time in our beautiful building in Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Under this year’s Membership Support Scheme, we are offering 20 memberships for eligible writers, each valid for one year (from 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2027).

Eligibility:

To be eligible, applicants must be:

• Over the age of eighteen.
• Living on the island of Ireland, who are either from or residing in Northern Ireland.

We are taking steps to promote equality of opportunity for all those living in Ireland, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community, as well as socio-economic background. This scheme is specifically for writers from backgrounds typically underrepresented in the arts in Ireland: Minority Ethnic, Black or Person of Colour, D/deaf, neurodiverse or disabled, LGBTQIA+, Member of the Travelling Community, Roma and Unwaged / Low-Income.

How to apply:

Applicants must apply via the Submittable link below where they will be asked to write a short answer on why they would like to receive an Irish Writers Centre membership and how it would benefit them (approx. 200 words).

Please click here for the application form for the ACNI Membership Support Scheme.

Deadline: Friday 27 November at 11.59pm

Application Deadline

Friday 27 November at 11:59pm

Selection criteria

Applications will be evaluated by an external selection panel, with reference to your submitted application (and writing sample, in the case of applicants for a course bursary).

We recognise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and large language models are increasingly in widespread use. However, we strongly believe that AI should not have a place in creative writing. We advise applicants to avoid use of AI tools or platforms in their creative writing samples. 

Please note: due to the volume of applications we are not in a position to give individual feedback to applicants, unless they have been interviewed, depending on the scheme. This policy extends across all of our calls in the interests of equity and transparency.

The Irish Writers Centre is committed to protecting the privacy of our users in accordance with the Irish Data Protection Act 2018. Any personal data provided will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and our privacy policy.

What is Submittable? 

Submittable is an online platform that the Irish Writers Centre uses to collect and review submissions and applications. To submit your application via Submittable, applicants will need to create a Submittable account. It’s free and easy to use but if you have any issues with Submittable, please email damien@irishwriterscentre.ie. Find out more about creating a Submittable account.

Applications will be acknowledged via an automatic email. If you don’t receive a confirmation of receipt, please contact us (damien@irishwriterscentre.ie) to check if your application has gone through.

About the Irish Writers Centre

The Irish Writers Centre is Ireland’s leading resource and development organisation for writers. Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2026, the Centre supports writers at every stage of their creative journey through courses, mentoring, competitions, professional development opportunities, and public programming, while championing the power and value of writing across Ireland and beyond.

Operating on an all-island basis, the Irish Writers Centre is a membership organisation and a registered charity.