Arts Council Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland

Deadline: 01-Oct-2026

The Arts Council and Trinity College Dublin are inviting applications for the Writer in Residence Fellowship 2027, supporting mid-career and established writers in Ireland to engage with the university community while advancing their own creative practice. Based at the Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing, the residency provides writers with opportunities to work with students and staff through workshops, mentoring, public events, and outreach activities. From July onwards, the Writer Fellow will be supported to focus primarily on their own creative practice. The fellowship provides a €25,000 award, along with accommodation and dedicated workspace during the initial residency period.

About the Writer in Residence Fellowship

The Writer in Residence Fellowship is designed to create a connection between an established writer’s creative practice and the academic community at Trinity College Dublin. The residency is hosted by the Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing and combines community engagement with dedicated time for creative work. During the first phase, the Writer Fellow will contribute to the university’s creative writing environment through structured engagement with students and staff. The second phase provides greater space for the writer to concentrate on their own artistic work. Residency Structure The fellowship is divided into two main phases.

January to June 2027: University Engagement

From January through June 2027, the Writer Fellow will design and deliver an engagement programme for students and staff.

Activities can include:

- Creative writing workshops. - Student mentoring. - Public events. - Engagement with the creative writing programme. - Other activities that contribute to the university community. Contact time with students and staff is limited to four hours per week. The Writer Fellow is not expected to deliver the university’s core curriculum.

July 2027 Onwards: Creative Practice

From July onwards, the residency shifts towards the Writer Fellow’s own creative practice. The writer will receive support to concentrate on developing their artistic work, allowing the fellowship to provide a balance between university engagement and independent creative activity. Writer Fellow Responsibilities The Writer Fellow will have several specific engagement responsibilities during the first phase.

These include:

- Leading weekly workshops for MPhil in Creative Writing students. - Leading weekly workshops for undergraduate students in the School of English. - Hosting a public reading or interview. - Conducting an outreach workshop or event for people outside Trinity. - Designing an engagement programme for students and staff. - Supporting the creative writing environment through mentoring and related activities. These responsibilities are intended to encourage meaningful interaction between the Writer Fellow and the wider university community. MPhil and Undergraduate Workshops A central element of the fellowship is direct engagement with students. The Writer Fellow will lead weekly workshops for both: - MPhil in Creative Writing students. - Undergraduate students in the School of English. These workshops provide students with access to an experienced practicing writer and create opportunities for creative discussion, writing development, feedback, and engagement with professional artistic practice. Public Reading or Interview The fellowship also requires the Writer Fellow to host a public reading or interview. This activity provides an opportunity for the wider university community and interested audiences to engage directly with the writer and their work. Community Outreach The Writer Fellow will also conduct an outreach workshop or event for people outside Trinity College Dublin. This element extends the impact of the residency beyond the university campus and allows the writer to contribute to broader literary and community engagement. Funding and Financial Support The total fellowship award is €25,000, approximately US$27,000. The funding is provided through two sources: - €20,000 from the Arts Council. - €5,000 from Trinity College Dublin. The award will be paid in two instalments. In addition to the financial award, the Writer Fellow will receive accommodation and workspace during the initial residency period. Accommodation and Workspace The Writer Fellow will have access to: - A self-contained apartment. - A dedicated office space at the Oscar Wilde Centre. These facilities are provided from January to May 2027, giving the successful writer a suitable environment for both engagement activities and creative work. Who Is Eligible? The fellowship is intended for mid-career and established writers who meet the programme’s residency, publication, and professional background requirements.

Applicants must:

- Be resident in the Republic of Ireland. - Be a mid-career or established writer. - Have a publishing track record. - Work in an eligible literary form. - Demonstrate artistic achievements and creative practice.

Eligible literary fields include:

- Prose fiction. - Poetry. - Creative non-fiction. - Graphic novels. - Children’s fiction. - Children’s poetry. Who Is Not Eligible? Certain applicants are excluded from the fellowship.

Applicants are not eligible if they:

- Held an Arts Council/university residency during 2026. - Work exclusively as playwrights. - Work exclusively as screenwriters. - Do not meet the residency requirement in the Republic of Ireland. - Do not have the required publishing track record. Encouraging Diversity in Applications The Arts Council encourages applications from writers who represent the diversity of Irish society. Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to demonstrate how their creative practice and perspective can contribute to the university and wider literary community. Application Requirements Applicants must submit several documents demonstrating their artistic experienc