Writer-in-residence : Gladstone Library

Writer-in-residence schemes across libraries seem to take different forms. Often the term is used to describe a residential writing retreat model in which a writer receives a bursary to spend around a week or month in accommodation at a certain library to work on their writing, such as in this example at Gladstone Library. This might involve doing research, using the reading rooms, and finding quiet and concentrated writing time to progress with their work. The aim of these schemes is often about “offering the time and space to write within a community of fellow artists without the pressure of ‘showing’ or producing something”, as Theatr Clwyd explains about another example of a residency run in partnership with Gladstone Library. Some of these opportunities target international writers to encourage international exchange, like this initiative from the Dutch Foundation for Literature in Amsterdam.

At public libraries, writer-in-residence schemes sometimes follow a slightly different model. These are sometimes characterised by interacting with the spaces, users or collections more, in order to make site-specific work or produce public engagement activities. This approach is generally much more public-facing and less focused on the writer’s development only, but also on the outcomes they produce. It mixes the writer-in-residence model with collections research or community engagement approaches. An example is this writer-in-residence project at Libraries Sheffield, where writer Désirée Reynolds spent time in the library’s archive to research untold stories and highlight underrepresented experiences.

In some cases, a writer-in-residence might be chosen for a larger institution or body than a single library, for example in Canada, where the City of Richmond appointed a writer-in-residence to run events, workshops, and mentoring sessions for aspiring writers all across the city.