The National Arts Council and the Toji Cultural Foundation in South Korea are pleased to offer fully-paid 2013 residency awards to up to 3 Singapore writers from any of Singapore’s four major languages, English, Chinese, Malay or Tamil.
Previous Toji Writers in Residence from Singapore include Liew Kwee Lan (Aiyu), Ovidia Yu, Gwee Li Sui and Suchen Christine Lim.
About the Residency
The Program for Supporting Creative Works and Cultural Exchanges by Foreign Writers is administered by the Toji Cultural Foundation to provide residential facilities and a quiet environment for writers to work in and focus on their craft. The residency provides the opportunity for writers to dedicate their time entirely to writing new literary works. 10 to 14 international and Korean writers and artists are nominated every year to reside at Toji Cultural Centre, a literary guesthouse located in the city of Wongju, Gangwon province, a two-hour drive from Seoul.
Residency Duration
The minimum period of the residency is 1 month and the maximum period is 3 months any time between 1 April and 30 December 2013.
Residency Support
The 2013 Writers-in-Residence will be awarded full residency support, including accommodation, meals, residency facilities access to Internet, library and loan of books, research materials from Yonsei University Wonju campus, and one economy-class return airfare plus taxes.
Application Deadline
5 December 2012
Application Procedure
To apply for the Residency, please download the Information Sheet for details and the Application Form. All applications are to be submitted through email to: nac_literary_arts@nac.gov.sg. Completed applications must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:
- Completed application form
- Detailed curriculum vitae, with a record of applicant’s publications and writing
- Proposal Letter detailing the objectives of application, work plan, expected benefits of the residency and the new work to be accomplished during the residency period
- A passport photo
- Character reference
- Excerpts of 2 past works in English, Chinese, Malay or Tamil (3-5 pages for each work)
Feedback from Previous Writers-in-Residence
"I felt that I needed a more tranquil place to work out how to structure my poetry, complete some essays, and plan future artistic projects. Toji gave me a residence that was ideal for these ends?.Toji was also a place I met numerous Korean and foreign writers, with whom I have since become good friends?.. I have learnt a lot culturally and intellectually from these individuals as well?.The residence has revitalised my creative thinking immeasurably and given me a lot of artistic hope and spiritual encouragement." ~ Gwee Li Sui, Toji Cultural Centre Writer-in-Residence 2010
"I love the quiet and seclusion, and the centre?s emphasis on writing one?s work without the distracting responsibilities of publicising one?s writings through public readings and talks. This has enabled me to write very well." ~ Suchen Christine Lim, Toji Cultural Centre Writer-in-Residence 2009