Library Residency for Writers

Who is eligible to apply?

Open to Montreal writers.

What are the program objectives?

Each creation residency includes a cultural mediation project. The program was developed with the following objectives in mind:

• Allow a writer to develop a personal creation project
• Complete a cultural mediation project by meeting with library users and people in the neighbourhood community
• Raise awareness among the general public of a writer’s work, including more practical aspects such as grants, research and publishing contracts
• Offer an opportunity for a writer to be available to the public

What activities are planned for the residency?

The writer must make themselves available for 25 hours per week, of which 10 must be spent at a dedicated space in the host library.

2023 residences will be hosted by the following libraries:

• Bibliothèque du Plateau-Mont-Royal (Plateau-Mont-Royal)
• L’Octogone Library (LaSalle)
• Two pairs of libraries in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce: Bibliothèque de Côte-des-Neiges and Bibliothèque Interculturelle (CDN) or Bibliothèque Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Bibliothèque Benny (NDG)

What type of assistance is provided?

The Conseil and the Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ) partnered with the Direction des bibliothèques de Montréal to offer the writer a $15,000 grant, of which $13,000 comes from the Conseil and the host library contributes $2,000.

What is the duration of the support?

Each residency is six (6) months long, from May to October 2023.

What are the general eligibility criteria?

• Professional writer with at least one book in any genre, including comics/graphic novels, published by a recognized, accredited publisher.
• Resident of the Island of Montréal (any area).
• Available 25 hours a week, of which 10 hours a week must be spent at the host library, for a period of six months, from May to October 2023.
• Has not done a residency in this program in the last three years.
• Ineligible to apply: writers employed by the City of Montréal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, or UNEQ.

When must the project be carried out?

The project runs from May to October 2023.

How many applications will be accepted?

Three residency projects will be accepted.

How can I submit an application?

Visit the l’Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ) website to learn more and submit your application.

How are applications evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by a jury composed of a representative from the Conseil, UNEQ and the host library.

What are the evaluation criteria?

The jury will consider applications in light of program objectives and the following criteria:

• Writer’s prior publications
• Artistic and educational merits of the proposed cultural mediation project, as well as its timeline, objectives, originality, and relationship to the writer’s body of work
• Contribution to the local community
• The writer’s capacity to bring the project to fruition

What is the response time?

The UNEQ will announce the selected writer in December 2022.

How will the artist grant be paid?

The grant offered by the Conseil will be paid through the UNEQ.

Commitments

If the writer accepts the grant, it is understood that they agree to perform all grant-related activities and respect all conditions specified upon acceptance.

The writer agrees to:

• Fulfill the mandate as proposed
• Inform the Conseil as soon as possible should circumstances prevent them from doing the project for which the grant was awarded; Return all or part of the grant as requested, as the case may be
• Prepare a report succinctly describing the cultural mediation project at the library and the residency’s effect on their personal creation process. The status report should be received by December 2023. UNEQ will also request that writer collaborate in evaluating the experience
• The selected writer must provide a brief report of their experience. The UNEQ will also ask the writer to participate in its experience evaluation process