Please read below guidelines to see if you are eligible.
This year's writers scheme focuses on fiction writing for children and/or young people. It is funded by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Arts Council and managed by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council invites applications for two writers. They will be based in dlr LexIcon in Dún Laoghaire from September 2025 to June 2026
One will be emerging while the other will be established or mid-career.
Applicants must live in, practice in, be originally from or have studied a relevant discipline in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
The residencies will be part time with a minimum of 80 days onsite at dlr LexIcon spread over the residency. This allows time for the writer's own work and engagement with the public and other writers.
Selected writers will have access to an office in dlr LexIcon. They can also use meeting rooms in dlr LexIcon and when available the studio space. The studio space is a black box space seating up to 120 people suitable for small scale productions and readings.
Budget information
The fee for the emerging writer is €12,000. A separate budget of €3,000 for public engagement and events will be managed by the dlr Arts Office.
The fee for the mid-career/established writer is €15,000. A separate budget of €3,000 for public engagement and events will be managed by the dlr Arts Office.
Residency objectives
To create opportunities for the playwright to:
·
- Develop her/his own work
- Engage with other writers and/or artists within dlr
- Provide opportunities for the public to engage with writing for children and young people
Writer’s brief
Applicants must include in their application an outline of the project/s they plan to work on during the residency. This should include both the development of their own work and also ideas about their engagement with other writers/artists and the public. In the past, writers in residence have engaged with book clubs, writers groups, leisure centre users, hospital patients and others. They have organised workshops, created newsletters and podcasts and engaged in one to one public interviews with other writers.
An innovative and original public engagement strand is desirable and new approaches are welcomed.
It is desirable that the 2 appointed writers are open to collaborating with each other throughout the residencies.
It is envisaged that approximately 70% of the time on this residency should be focused on the playwright’s own work while approximately 30% will be allocated to the engagement aspect.
Completing the form
In order to complete the online application you should have the following ready to upload, a CV, 2 references and samples of your work.
It is possible to save your application and to complete it later before the closing date.
Criteria for selection
·
Artistic merit and distinctiveness of proposal (25/100)
·
Quality of previous work (25/100)
·
Suitability of the proposal to the context (25/100)
·
Ability and experience in public engagement (25/100)
The details of the programme will be agreed in consultation with the appointed writers.
The programme will be supervised by the Assistant Arts Officer. In advance of the residency the following will be agreed:
·
Clear goals, roles and responsibilities and agreed criteria for the writers in residence and the Arts Office. An agreed programme of work that is flexible and responsive.
A timetable that balances time for the writer's own work and time for interaction with various publics;
Ongoing review and evaluation; regular meetings. It should be noted that this is a part-time residency, which will require flexibility around contact hours.
Summary of key dates
June/July 2025: call for submissions
4 July 2025 at 1pm: closing date for receipt of submissions
Week of 15 September 2025: start of residency
26 June 2026: residency concludes
Support from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Arts Office will act as the liaison support between the writer, the local authority and local communities throughout the residency. It will also provide a limited amount of administrative support where required. The Assistant Arts Officer will be responsible for administering contracts and payments to the writer.
Insurance
The writer in residence agrees to keep the Council fully indemnified against all claims howsoever arising and howsoever caused in respect of any damage, loss or injury of any kind or nature, whether arising
directly or indirectly from the provision of the residency and to provide evidence of Public Liability insurance which indemnifies Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council with a limit of indemnity of €6.5 million. It is the responsibility of the writer in residence to ensure that other person(s) not employed by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, but employed by the writer in residence to assist them with the residency have adequate Public Liability (€6.5 million) and Employer’s Liability (€13 million) cover which indemnify both Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the writer.
Freedom of Information
The provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1997-2003 apply to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Applicants should state if any of the information supplied by them is confidential or sensitive and should not be disclosed to a request for information under the aforementioned Act. Applicants should state why they consider the information to be confidential or commercially sensitive.
Payments
The writers will be paid via the payroll system. They will not become employees of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and are treated as employees solely for taxation purposes. Standard deductions will apply.
Queries Please refer any queries to Carolyn Brown, Assistant Arts Officer
E:cbrown@dlrcoco.ie or Phone: (01) 236 2760.
Please note that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council reserves the right not to appoint if none of the applications received are deemed to be suitable. In this instance Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
County Council reserves the right to pursue a different procurement process.