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Monday, May 25, 2015

Writers in Residence 2016 submission opens

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2nd March - 29th May 2015

The Writer in Residence programme for 2016 is funded by the generous support of Joanna Munro. Thanks to Joanna, Gladstone’s Library can continue to offer residencies that enrich the community of writers and readers that we have here at the Library.

SUBMISSION OPENS: MONDAY 2ND MARCH 2015

POSTMARK DEADLINE: FRIDAY 29TH MAY 2015

Currently in its fourth year, Gladstone’s Library’s competitive Writer-in-Residence programme provides space and resources for four writers whose work engages with liberal values.

By liberal values, we do not mean views aligned with any particular political ideology.

We mean a commitment to freedom and social justice, tolerance and respect of difference, open-mindedness coupled with intellectual curiosity, generosity of spirit and a willingness to learn from others.

Founded by Gladstone in 1894, the Library is committed to maintaining his legacy of engagement with social, moral and ethical questions by helping people reflect more deeply on the questions that concern them.

It does not claim to provide any of the answers but it does offer a comfortable, sociable and stimulating environment together with unparalleled resources for creative study including renowned collections of historical, cultural, theological and political materials: 33,000 books come from Gladstone’s own library and many contain annotations made by Gladstone himself.

Through reflection and writing during their stay, Writers-in-Residence help us redefine liberal values for the twenty-first century.

Their engagement might be critical, supportive or merely observant.

Gladstone was a polymath with interests ranging widely across religion, history, social justice and politics from Classical times to what was then contemporary culture.

The scope of these four residencies is equally wide and we welcome fiction and non-fiction writers.

Gladstone read on average five books a week so you can be sure that the Library has something to offer you.

The connections he made between the various disciplines he delved into helped shape his particular form of liberalism.

Gladstone's Library is unique – it is the only residential library in the United Kingdom.

It provides a meeting place dedicated to dialogue, debate and learning for open-minded individuals and groups who are looking to explore pressing questions and to pursue study and research in an age of distraction and easy solutions.

All are welcome at the Library regardless of gender, race, class, sexual orientation or religious affiliation.

The Writer-in-Residence is expected to be at ease with this inclusive ethos.

Four places will be awarded.

The dates of the tenures are February, May, September and November 2016.

Each residency includes:
  • Accommodation in an en-suite room for a period of four consecutive weeks;
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner); morning coffee and afternoon tea (telephone calls or alcoholic drinks are not included);
  • Travel expenses to and from the Library at the start and end of the residency (HMRC mileage allowance or standard bus/train fares within the UK);
  • An honorarium of £100.00 per week.

Each winning author must:
  • Attend the official London prizewinning ceremony on Monday 12th October 2015;
  • Participate, where possible, in any other publicity events held before or after their residency;
  • Respond to media/press enquiries as appropriate and by prior agreement with the library’s warden, Peter Francis;
  • Submit two blog posts to the Gladstone’s Library website;
  • Lead a creative writing workshop to not more than twenty participants;
  • Give an evening talk about any aspect of their writing and/or creative life;
  • Abide by the normal terms and conditions for guests staying at Gladstone’s Library.

Terms and Conditions:
  1. Entrants must submit a one page CV/biography, a copy of the book they would like the judges to consider, a 250 word statement about their take on (re)defining ‘liberal values’ and 250 words on the work that they plan to do at the Library as well as their idea for an evening event and day workshop. Submissions should be sent to Louisa Yates, Director of Collections and Research, Gladstone’s Library, Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3DF. Submissions are welcome from anywhere in the world but please note that travel expenses are only covered within the UK and Ireland. 
  2. Prose fiction and non-fiction, poetry, screenplays and drama are all eligible for submission. Submitted texts must have been published in the last three years. We accept manuscript submissions accompanied by evidence of a contract and publishing schedule. Academic monographs are not eligible for Writer-in-Residence and should be submitted to the Library’s scholarship programme. As well as standard publication routes, we accept e-published texts. We do not accept self-published authors of any kind. No correspondence can be entered into. Entry is free and limited to one entry per author. You cannot enter under a pseudonym. Winners will be notified by the end of September and invited to a launch event at the National Liberal Club on Monday 12th October. Winners agree to take part in publicity activity and abide by Library rules during tenure.
  3. Situated just six miles from Chester, Gladstone’s Library is Britain’s only Prime Ministerial library and the national memorial to William Ewart Gladstone. It is home to a unique collection of more than 250,000 printed items and offers a comfortable, sociable and stimulating environment together with resources for creative study including renowned collections of theological, historical, cultural and political materials. For more information about the Library, please visit the Library’s website:www.gladstoneslibrary.org

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