Apply to The Future Is Back Workshop for Emerging LGBTQ+ Writers, Facilitated by Olumide Popoola

April 11, 2019

Olumide Popoola. Photo credit: Deborah Moses-Sanks.

Olumide Popoola will be teaching a workshop for LGBTQ writers in London, funded by ACE and themed “The Future Is Back.” The Nigerian-German author of When We Speak of Nothing began the initiative in March 2018, selecting twelve writers whose works were showcased at Gay’s the Word. For the 2019 edition, ten participants will be selected. There will be access grants for potential participants. The deadline for applications is 1 May 2019.

Here is the announcement on Spread the Word:

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that Olumide will be running this project again. The Future is back – and we would love as many prose LGBTQ+ writers across London to apply for this scheme.

The selected 10 participants will receive a series of creative writing (prose) workshops led by Olumide Popoola, an invitation to attend two special guest sessions: ‘Writing for Performance’ with Namita Elizabeth Chakrabarty and ‘From Activist Poetry to Eco Poetics’ with Saradha Soobrayen.

Participants will also be invited to attend 1 zine making workshop, access to expert sessions (covering publishing, university and funding), feedback on their work and the opportunity to share their work at a live showcase.

Eligibility & Entry Guidelines

To enter, you must:

be 18 years or older
submit a piece of prose between 500 – 1000 words
submit a short paragraph (max. 500 words) why you want to be part of the scheme at this particular time in your writing life
self-identify as LGBTQ+
be available to attend the sessions held on Wednesday evenings (see dates below)

Given that the scheme is for emerging writers, ineligible writers include those who: