Place des cinéastes, or Filmmakers Square, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The Goethe-Institut/Bureau de liaison in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, has called for applications to its new 2019/2020 residencies for African writers under 40. Open to writers in all genres, successful applicants will be paid €1,500 and be expected to produce a manuscript which will be published in 2020. The initiative “aims to give a platform for free expression” and welcomes activists and writers who have been censored in their countries. The deadline for application is Sunday, 7 July 2019.

Here is the press release.

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The Goethe-Institut/ Bureau de liaison Ouagadougou is setting up a writer’s residency for young African writers (less than 40 years) in 2019/20 in Burkina Faso.

This residency program aims to give a platform for free expression:

– to writers who project the vision of (another) future in their writings

– to writers who have restrictions of expression in their country of origin

– to activist writers who express themselves in relation to social and/ or political transformations and challenges in their countries.

The residency is open to writers of all literary genres: novel, poetry, essay, storytelling, narration, theatre, comic, etc.

The production of a text is mandatory for the authors in residence. The texts produced will be published at the end of 2020, either physically or digitally.

General conditions of the residency:

– 2 or 3 residencies of 4 weeks in Ouagadougou in 2019/20

– 3 authors per residency (1 from Burkina Faso, 2 from other African countries)

– Meetings and working sessions with professional writers from Burkina Faso and other African countries

– Public reading sessions

– Production of a text is mandatory

– Digital or physical publication in 2020

– Assumption of the costs for transportation (from home country to Burkina Faso) and visa

– Accommodation during the 4 weeks residency

– Grant of 1.500 Euro for the residency period (incl. per diem and private transport) – paid in place in two instalments.

Conditions to apply:

– Be under 40 years old

– Have at least one published text, either with a publisher or a newspaper, on a blog or website or as a self-publication

– Be African by origin or by naturalization

– Have a writing project to develop during the residency

– Be available from November 2019

Application and documents to provide:

– Letter of motivation specifying your:

  • author’s career
  • your personal situation
  • your expectations
  • reasons for your application for the residency

– Description of your project to develop during the residency

– Curriculum Vitae

– Full biography (max. 500 words)

– PDF or links to texts already published

The selection process will be conducted by an external jury of three professional authors (Names to be confirmed).

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday, 7th July 2019 (23:59 GMT +0)

The applications shall be sent to the following addresses:

Carolin Christgau, Director, Goethe-Institut: [email protected]

Francois d’Assise Ouédraogo, Assistant, Goethe-Institut: [email protected]

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Enquiries should be sent to [email protected] or [email protected].