Call: European Literary London Writer in Residence 2025

It is with great pleasure that EUNIC London in partnership with the UCL European Institute, the UCL Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and the European Literature Network invite expressions of interest for a four-week Writer in Residence program at UCL in Spring 2025.

The Residency is offered in the context of UCL’s ongoing project, the European Literary Map of London, which uncovers the experiences of European writers who have transformed, and been transformed by London through the ages, bringing literary texts about London by European writers, artists and intellectuals into dialogue with one another across space and time. 

The European Literary Map is an interactive online Map, featuring over 80 text extracts about London, originally written in over 20 European languages; a public exhibition currently touring a range of European cities; and a catalyst for associated teaching, public engagement and research.

About the Residency

The European Literary Map of London Writer in Residency programme offers the opportunity to spend four weeks in London, based at UCL, and embedded at UCL Faculty of Arts & Humanities, with full access to UCL facilities (e.g. office space, library, archives). 

Basic accommodation will be provided through EUNIC London, with support from the Goethe-Institut London, alongside a one-off honorarium payment from UCL of £4000. Exact dates may be subject to change, however the period envisaged for the Residency is 24 April-22 May 2025.

During this period, UCL will host opportunities to engage and exchange with UCL’s intellectual community (staff, students and local schools), subject to the interest and capacity of the writer, and connected wherever possible to the European Literary London project. 

As part of the Residency, the nominated writer will also be asked to produce an original piece of writing (essay, short story, poem) on London and relating to one or more of the Map’s key themes (Poverty & Plenty, Nature & Noise; Fantasy & Banality; Pleasure & Disgust; Familiar & Other; Freedom & Constraint), to be translated into English – and featured on the European Literary Map.

By offering a Writer in Residency programme, our ambition is to build on UCL’s position as “London’s global university” and to support new writing on London from a European perspective, adding to the diversity of the Map, strengthening the longstanding cultural ties between the UK and mainland Europe, and supporting the profile and visibility of writers working in languages other than English in the United Kingdom. 

You can find out more about our inaugural Writers in Residency, Joanna Elmy and Larisa Faber, and the projects they pursued while at UCL in 2024 here: European Literary Map of London Writer in Residency Programme | UCL European Institute – UCL – University College London

The experience at UCL was wonderful. I am still processing a lot of what I had the chance to experience, from working in the archives to meeting with faculty members and participating in events. I think the best part of this project is the balance between structured and unstructured time, as a large part of the creative process for me takes place away from the page. The chance to explore London, visit cultural institutions and museums, talk to locals, see so many faces of the city – this is invaluable. I will be using the material collected over these past months not only in the project I applied with, but in all my future work where London will make appearances. The London of my literature will largely be the London of this Residency, because it’s such a distilled experience of not just having a room of one’s own, but a city of one’s own, in a sense. 
Joanna Elmy, 2024 European Literary London Writer in Residence

Expressions of interest

Writers interested in this opportunity are asked to submit a short expression of interest (no more than one page, in English) to the Director of the European Literature Network, Rosie Goldsmith, by 5pm, 27 January 2025. 

Expressions of interest should cover:

• The applicant’s motivation for applying for this Residency
•  The project they envisage pursuing and its connection with London and the broader European Literary Map of London project
• How the applicant would plan to make the most of being embedded in UCL’s intellectual community
• Any relevant notes on availability within the specified timeframe

Applications should be sent to: rosie@rosiegoldsmith.com, copying in contact@eunic-london.org

All submissions will be read and evaluated by Rosie and discussed with UCL and EUNIC. The shortlist and finalists will be decided jointly by UCL, ELNet and EUNIC. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by 7 February and the finalist(s) by 14 February.