Writing Scotland

Writing Scotland Ellen Bell, Billet Doux project, 2013

Axisweb is running a new programme for aspiring writers in Scotland, to take place from November 2013 to April 2014, and we’re looking for people who would like to take part. Deadline Friday 18 October 2013.


Call for Participants 

Are you interested in writing enjoyable and insightful art criticism about contemporary art in Scotland?

Do you need to develop your writing skills and experience to take your writing career to the next stage?

Supported by Creative Scotland, Writing Scotland will provide five emerging writers with a programme of free workshops and writing support. The participants will work with arts journalist Chris Sharratt, who will run the programme alongside three other well-established and respected writers, who will lead practical workshops and provide general feedback.

  • Moira Jeffrey, art critic of the Scotsman newspaper 
  • Neil Mulholland, Professor of Contemporary Art Practice & Theory at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the MFA Contemporary Art, Edinburgh College of Art
  • Sarah Tripp, artist and writer based in Glasgow

The programme will help you to:

  • Extend your linguistic range
  • Iron out any solecisms and habitual shortcomings in your writing style
  • Articulate ideas and arguments convincingly and logically
  • Find your own distinctive authorial voice 
  • Recognise the needs of different audiences 
  • Learn about the practicalities of pitching ideas for publication and submitting to an editorial process

During the programme, each participant will write at least two pieces of work for publication. They will receive feedback on work proposed for publication from the mentors and have an opportunity to submit work ‘on spec’ to Axisweb and partner publications.

As part of the programme, all travel to workshops at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Glasgow, will be covered and Axisweb will pay writers for any written work we publish.

Workshops will take place between November 2013 and March 2014 at the CCA, Glasgow. Dates and times to be confirmed.

 


How to apply

To apply, you must be based in Scotland and should provide evidence of:

  • Love of language and basic grammatical competence
  • Ability to structure ideas
  • Curiosity about new developments in contemporary art within the UK and beyond
  • Willingness to work hard and benefit from the programme
  • An interest in raising the profile of and developing critical writing about contemporary art activity in Scotland

To apply, please send:

  • A 500 word (max) review of an exhibition you have recently seen or an art-related issue that has caught your attention
  • A 300 word (max) statement of why you are interested in the programme and what you would hope to achieve from it
  • Two other examples of your writing
  • Your CV 

Applications should be sent to [email protected] including ‘Writing Scotland Application’ in the subject line.

Deadline for applications: Friday 18 October 2013

The selection panel will consist of Chris Sharratt (freelance writer and Writing Scotland Coordinator) Sheila McGregor (Director, Axisweb), Lesley Guy (Content Curator, Axisweb) and Francis McKee (Director, CCA).

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact Chris Sharratt at [email protected] for more information.

 


About the Writing Scotland Mentors

Moira Jeffrey
Moira Jeffrey is a writer and journalist based in Glasgow. She is currently art critic of the Scotsman newspaper. She has taught feature writing at Glasgow Caledonian University and held writing workshops for artists at Valand School of Fine Art, University of Gothenburg.
@moirajeffrey

Neil Mulholland
Neil Mulholland works collaboratively, using avatars that have interpretive flexibility. Currently he is developing workshop models of artistic learning in participatory settings as Shift/Work, and working as half of the Confraternity of Neoflagellants, lay peoples dedicated to the investigation and ascetic application of neomedievalism. Recent publications include 'Shift Happens' JAR 3 (jar-online.net, 2013), thN Lng folk 2go (NYC: Punctum, 2013) a neomedievalist book co-authored with Norman Hogg, and 'Bang the Whole Gang' in Glam: The Performance of Style (Liverpool: TATE, 2013). Neil is Professor of Contemporary Art Practice & Theory at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the MFA Contemporary Art, Edinburgh College of Art.
neilmulholland.co.uk

Sarah Tripp
Sarah Tripp is an artist based in Glasgow. She teaches Fine Art at Glasgow School of Art and Goldsmiths College. Her writing has been published in Pist Protta, Vol 71, Space Poetry, Denmark (2013); The Happy Hypocrite, Issue 5, Book Works, London (2012); Rong–Wrong, Vol 1, As Is Press, Amsterdam (2012); It isn’t what it used to be and will never be again, edited by Bik Van der Pol (2011) and 2HB, vol4, CCA, Glasgow (2009). She co-produces the journal gnommero and the festival What we make with words. In 2013 Tripp will have a book published by Book Works, London and will present 24 Stops for TENT in Rotterdam.
sarahtripp.com

Chris Sharratt
Chris Sharratt is a freelance writer and editor based in Glasgow. He writes for frieze, is editor of the a-n art news website and a co-producer (editorial) at Sync, a set of activities designed to support cultural organisations in Scotland develop a more progressive relationship with technology.
@chrissharratt


This programme is supported by Creative Scotland and delivered in partnership with CCA

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