Apply to BlackBird Books’ 4-Week Residency for Black Womxn Writers

The South Africa-based publishing press Blackbird Books, in collaboration with Casa Lorde and Eunice Ngogodo Own Voices Initiative, is calling for applications to a four-week residency at Casa Lorde, Pretoria, for Black African womxn writers between ages 18 and 40. Residents will be paid R5,000. An imprint of Jacana Media, Blackbird Books has published, among others, Panashe Chigumadzi, Sihle Mthembu, and Bonang Matheba.

See guidelines below.

Who can apply?

• Young black womxn from any African country who are starting their careers as writers and are between 18 and 40 years old.
• The residency is open to writers of all literary genres: novel, poetry, essay, storytelling, narration, theatre, etc.

General terms of the residency:

• Accommodation during up to 4 weeks in Brooklyn, Pretoria, during October (2019) or February (2020). Breakfast and basic expenses included (toiletries, unlimited wi-fi).
• The residency does not include transport costs to Pretoria, but it does include R5,000 (five thousand) for basic expenses during your stay.
• Private bedroom and private bathroom inside Casa Lorde, a collective working space.
• Meeting and working sessions with professional writers from South Africa.
• Production of a text is mandatory, although BlackBird Books is not obligated to publish it.

Application and documents required to apply:

• A letter of motivation specifying how you would benefit from your stay at Casa Lorde
• A description of the project you plan to develop during the residency
• Your Curriculum Vitae and a short biography (500 words)
• A sample of your writing (this can be something that has been published or not)
• Please indicate if you would be available during October 2019 or February 2020 (or either).

Application deadline: 31 August 2019 (the winners will be announced during the first weeks of September).

Send your application to [email protected] or [email protected] with the subject line, “Casa Lorde Writer’s Residency Application.”

For more information, contact Blackbird Books.