BlackBird Books’ 4-Week Residency for Black Women Writers | Apply

The South Africa-based publishing press Blackbird Books, in collaboration with Casa Lorde and Eunice Ngogodo Own Voices Initiative, is calling for applications to a four-week residency at Casa Lorde, Pretoria, for Black African women writers between ages 18 and 40.

• Young black women from any African country who are starting their careers as writers and are between 18 and 40 years old.
• The residency is open to writers of all literary genres: novel, poetry, essay, storytelling, narration, theatre, etc.

General terms of the residency:

• Accommodation during up to 4 weeks in Brooklyn, Pretoria, during October (2019) or February (2020). Breakfast and basic expenses included (toiletries, unlimited wi-fi).
• The residency does not include transport costs to Pretoria, but it does include R5,000 (five thousand) for basic expenses during your stay.
• Private bedroom and private bathroom inside Casa Lorde, a collective working space.
• Meeting and working sessions with professional writers from South Africa.
• Production of a text is mandatory, although BlackBird Books is not obligated to publish it.

Application and documents required to apply:

• A letter of motivation specifying how you would benefit from your stay at Casa Lorde
• A description of the project you plan to develop during the residency
• Your Curriculum Vitae and a short biography (500 words)
• A sample of your writing (this can be something that has been published or not)
• Please indicate if you would be available during October 2019 or February 2020 (or either).

Application deadline: 31 August 2019 (the winners will be announced during the first weeks of September).


Send your application to [email protected] or [email protected] with the subject line, “Casa Lorde Writer’s Residency Application.”


For more information, contact Blackbird Books.