Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Bursary

The Tyrone Guthrie Centre Bursary allows a successful Artist to spend two all–inclusive weeks at the prestigious Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Co Monaghan. This idyllic artists’ retreat plays host to artists from around the world working in a variety of art forms.

Please click here for an application form.

Applicants must be born in or domiciled in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.

Deadline for receipt of applications: Fri 22 May 2015, 4pm.

Limerick Bursaries for Tyrone Guthrie Centre

Limerick Arts Office Offering Two Bursaries for Tyrone Guthrie Centre

Limerick Arts Office is offering 2 bursaries for the The Tyrone Guthrie Centre. Each Bursary covers all board and lodging expenses for a week.

The Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig is a residential workplace for artists, dedicated to supporting and facilitating creativity within a welcoming and trusted environment.
It is an established and central part of cultural life in Ireland and is the largest residency of its type for artists in this country.

Download your application form here.

Deadline: 5PM FRIDAY 4th JULY 

All applications to Limerick Arts Office must be submitted electronically to artsoffice@limerick.ie and marked clearly as ‘TGB 14’

Grants in Laois

Laois have a Tyrone Guthrie bursary which I highly recommend and covet.

Laois County Council Arts Service – Awards and Opportunities | Call for Applicants

Closing date: 28th February
Laois County Council Arts Service invites applications for the following awards and opportunities to individuals/groups and organizations from County Laois.

- Arts Act Grants 2013
Provision has been made by Laois County Council for the payment of grants to arts organisations and individuals who meet the artistic and financial criteria set down by Laois County Council and who provide adequate information on their proposed activities. Maximum amount payable will not exceed €1000.

- Tyrone Guthrie Residency Bursary Awards 2013
A Bursary is available to enable a Laois artist to spend one week working at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in County Monaghan. The bursary is open to artists in all fields and is selected on previous achievements and project/s in hand.
In 2013 a special Bursary for Printmakers is available and will enable two print artists to spend a week sharing and working in the new Print Studio at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre. One of the artists must be an experienced printmaker and preferably a member of a recognised print studio.

- Artists in Schools Scheme 2013
Grants are available for artists’ residencies in schools, to include all art forms. This scheme gives primary and post primary schools the opportunity to select and work with professional artists and explore new arts media.

Details and application forms regarding the above schemes are available on request from: The Arts Office, Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Telephone: 057 8674342 email: artsoff@laoiscoco.ie or can be downloaded from the website: www.laois.ie.

Doire Press Short Story competition

Doire Press have a competition for short stories to be published in a chapbook. It has the whiff of vanity publishing about it, only a whiff but buyer beware. It may be what you're looking for. Especially with the lack of outlets for short stories.

Doire Press is pleased to announce 2013 International Fiction Chapbook Competition

Winners will each receive 75 copies of their own professionally edited and printed chapbook published by Doire Press. Chapbooks will be perfect-bound, contain up to 40 pages, feature colour front and back covers, as well as their own ISBN and barcode.

Ten shortlisted entries will be included in an anthology.

Entries: one short story (3,000 words max)

Deadline: January 9th, 2013

Submission Guidelines:
Euro 10 for first entry, Euro 8 for each additional entry.
Cheques or money orders to be made payable to Doire Press.
Entry fees can also be paid via Paypal through the Doire Press website.
Email submissions will also be accepted with an additional €1 printing fee per entry email doirepress@gmail.com

Send entries via postal mail to: Doire Press, Aille, Inverin, County Galway, Ireland.

Entries must include cover page with full contact information and title of story. Entrants name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript.

To read the full list of contest guidelines, submit via email or to pay by Paypal, please visit our website at www.doirepress.com.

Michael Farry: Asking for Directions

Anyone in or near Co Meath 21 May 2012, the launch of the very talented poet, Michael Farry's collection.

All are welcome to the launch (supported by Meath County Council Arts Office) of Asking for Directions, a collection of poetry from Michael Farry, published by Doghouse books and launched by writer and broadcaster Pat Dunne.

Venue: Castle Arch Hotel, Trim, Co Meath

Time: 8pm

Admission: Free

E: doghouse312@eircom.net
www.doghousebooks.ie

Hennessy New Irish Writing

I went along to the New Irish Writing awards on Tuesday held at the French Ambassador's residence on Ailesbury Road, possibly the most expensive house in Ireland. It has a fascinating story you can read here.
There are 3 categories, 6 stories in First Fiction and the other 6 in Emerging Fiction so all of the 12 short stories publishe during 2011 in the Irish Independent are included. There is also an Emerging Poetry Prize for 6 of the poems. The Hennessy has always been stronger on fiction than poetry with often, no poets on the judging committee which has made for unexpected results.

This year the First Fiction nominees were:

Ron Woods -Paddy's Will which you can read here
Pat O'Connor -Advice and Sandwiches previously shortlisted for the Sean O'Faolain Competition in 2010
Aisling Keogh - How To Save A Life who I had the pleasure of meeting. This was Aisling's first published story. She lives in Galway.
Paul O'Reilly - I wish MacGowen hadn't written that song. You can listen to another story by him here and his blog is here. Apparently this is shortlisted for the Pushcart prize in the US.
Here's another story and bio by him here
and the winner Barbara Tarrant - Baby - Congratulations!

The Emerging Fiction Nominees were:
Maire T Robinson - Another Breakfast For You. She blogs here and it was lovely to meet her. You can read it here
Mick Ransford (Doyle) - Kindred. Here's another story by Mick
Susan Lanigan - Infinite Loop,who I know from the blogosphere.
Elizabeth Brennan - Strangers who I got to chat to.
Andrew Fox - By The Canal. Here's another story by Andrew
and the winner, Viv McDade - Leaving for Chile which you can read here

The Emerging Poetry nominees were:
Mike J Gallagher - Stick on Stone which also won Michael Hartnett Viva Voce
Monica Corish - Mind Your Sister on the Rocks who has another poem here
Deirdre Doherty - The Shed She has a poem in Crannog here
Edward O'Dwyer - Only by Chance  here's some more poems by Ed
Tory Campbell - I Beckon You and My Father Doesn't Like Cut Flowers who has also been in the Stinging Fly
and the winner, Niamh Boyce - Kitty who I met and who blogs here

Niamh also won the overall prize as well as my own, personal prize for best hairstyle.

Then John Boyne gave a really lovely speech full of wisdom and wit accepting his entry into the Hall of Fame.

We did notice that of the now ten members, only one, Ann Enright, is a woman. This is strange. Did all the women who were shortlisted or won the Hennessy in the old days (it's in its 41st year) not end up with a bit of fame?

Bristol Short Story prize

This is a prestigious, well thought of competition which means loads of entries and a whopper of a prize.
Deadline: 31 March
Prizes: 1st - £1,000 plus £150 Waterstone’s gift card.  2nd - £700 plus £100 gift card.  3rd - £400 plus £100 gift card.  The remaining 17 entries from the shortlist will be awarded £100 each.  All 20 shortlisted entries will be published in the anthology.  The winning story will also be published in Bristol Review of Books and Venue magazine.  Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to which all shortlistees will be invited. 
    Entry Fee: £7.

Link here

Fermanagh Residency

Fermanagh District Council’s Arts Advisory Committee would like to invite artists living within Fermanagh who work in the following creative disciplines to apply for one of three Tyrone Guthrie Centre Artist in Residence Bursaries for 2010 – 2011. Artists who work professionally in the following art forms are eligible: music, dance, visual arts, theatre and literature. Application forms are available from:



Address:

Diane Henshaw, Arts Officer, Fermanagh District Council, ‘Tyrone Guthrie Centre Bursary’, Town Hall, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, BT74 7BA

Telephone:
028 6632 5050

Email:
diane.henshaw@fermanagh.gov.uk

Deadline:
27 August at 12.30pm

What Did I Not Do in 2009?

I haven't got used to this twenty-ten thing yet...

I was rereading what I said this time last year. Review of the Year 2008

What did I not do that I meant to? I asked last year.

- Finish my novel
- Get my poetry collection finished/published
- Finish my novel
- Earns lots of money so I can concentrate on finishing my novel
- Get a bursary so I can concentrate on finishing my novel
- Finish my novel

Nothing I can take away from that. My novel is creeping along like a sick snail. I did get a bursary, very nice but not enough to live on, eat and pay the mortgage. What I have been using it for is:
- to do some readings that aren't always paid enough to cover costs, petrol, staying overnight somewhere
- buy copies of journals, books and magazines to support independent presses (recommended for anyone with a few bob)
- go to Annaghmakkerig for a writing retreat
- go to other people's readings and festival a bit more regularly

Is there anything else from 2009 I meant to do but didn't? Things that are within my control, I mean. Not like win the lottery or get another job. I should have done a workshop or two with established, inspirational writers.

US residencies

There are loads of residencies for artists in the US. All that I've seen charge an application fee. Lots are open to artists outside the US and some even offer residencies that fit in with artists who have families/other jobs i.e. they are two weeks or less. Here are two

Ragdale Foundation Illinois
DEADLINES (postmarked):

January 15 for June - 1st week of September residencies (Notification after April 1)
May 15 for September - December residencies (Notification after August 1)
September 15 for following January-May residencies (Notification after December 1)

They charge but they have quite a few bursaries/financial aid. I would imagine you can apply for a training and travel grant too though the timing would be tight.

VCCA Virginia Centre for Creative Arts

January 15 deadline for residencies from June to September; notification is mailed by March 31.
May 15 deadline for residencies from October to January; notification is mailed by July 31.
September 15 deadline for residencies from February to May; notification is mailed by November 30.

They say:

Artists are accepted at the VCCA without consideration for their financial situation. The actual cost of a residency at the Virginia Center is $180 per day per Fellow. We ask Fellows to contribute according to their ability.

Not sure what that means really.

They have an exchange programme with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghamakerrig, Co Monaghan.

UCross Nebraska
deadlines are March 1 for Fall Session, which runs from August through early December, and October 1 for Spring Session, which runs from February through mid-June. Residencies vary in length from two to eight weeks.
There is no fee for a residency.

Yaddo sounds lovely.
Application deadlines are January 1 (for residencies starting mid-May of the same year through February of the following year), and August 1 (for residencies starting late October of the same year through May of the following year).
Non-refundable application fee of $30
There is no fee for a residency.

Review of the Year

This is the time of year I suppose to look back on the last year and then look ahead to the new year. I'm never very good at making plans and sticking to them.

- Reading in Belfast for the Windows Publications Introductions February
- Shortlisted for the Hennessey New Irish Writing for Short Story April
- Attended a poetry workshop at the Poetry Now Festival with Jamie McKendrick
- Printed, publicised and distributed the Poetry in The Waiting Room leaflets Summer
- Performed at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival August
- Received the Tyrone Guthrie Exchange Bursary with Overpfälzer Kűnstlerhaus August
- Received an Arts Council Travel Grant
- Attended Poetry Workshop with Gerald Dawe September
- Led a Writing Workshop at the National Gallery September
- Poem published in Food and Wine Magazine October
- Organised a National Poetry Day Reading October
- Readings at Farmleigh and South Dublin Libraries' Readers Day
- Haiku sequence in the anthology 'Night and Day'/New Island December 2008
- Included in blog anthology Homespages
- Poem accepted with The SHOp magazine for 2009

The list of rejections is much longer (which is par for the course and no one should be focusing on the negative.)

What did I not do that I meant to?

- Finish my novel
- Get my poetry collection finished/published
- Finish my novel
- Earns lots of money so I can concentrate on finishing my novel
- Get a bursary so I can concentrate on finishing my novel
- Finish my novel

More Rejections

Oh yes. Here we go again. Another rejection from Hodder Ireland. The editor kept it for an extra two weeks beyond the date my agent requested though and had others in the office reading it, so I have to take that as positive. She also asked to see it again when rewritten and will send an email with some bullet point comments as guidance. She mentioned she found bits confusing, which is worrying. I'm so close to the book now, and obviously know what's going to happen, I can't see any confusion.

Feeling very low.

Also have had to bite the bullet and take a 3 month contract job for the money. Mortgage rates being what they are. I hate the idea of the commute, the hours in an office environment and time away from writing and reading. The whole family will have to adapt to the new regime too. I foresee tears (probably mine)

The worst thing is I have to cancel my week in Annaghmakkerig as it is right at the start of the contract. The house is closed from the end of October to January so little chance of a late respite and I was really looking forward to going.

Have a week now to beef up the book as best I can for sending out in the next round.

Tyrone Guthrie Centre Annaghmakerrig

I'm off to my favourite Artists' retreat soon in the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annaghmakerrig, Newbliss, Co Monaghan. It's a magical place, full of creative energy and just what I need - a kick up the bum to get writing. I go for a week twice a year if I can and get at least a month's worth of writing done plus I'm it keeps me going for a few months when I get home again.

Annaghmakerrig also have international residence exchanges for former residents in Germany, USA, Spain, Australia and India. Each seems to be for a month so may be hard for many artists to do. I'd love to do one but it would be tough getting away from home. Travel is not included so I hope the Arts Council travel bursaries would cover it.