This annual award was founded in 2009 by Moniack Mhor to honour Jessie Kesson’s inspirational life and work.
The Jessie Kesson Fellow receives time and space to develop their work, as well as opportunities to expand their practice. This includes delivering creative writing workshops based on or inspired by Jessie Kesson’s life and work, with young writers, local youth groups, libraries, or community centres.
We are delighted to announce the 2023 Jessie Kesson Fellow is Genevieve Carver.
The 2023 Fellow will:
- Live on-site in the cottage at Moniack Mhor from Monday 24th July – Saturday 19th August 2023.
- Receive a stipend of £350 per week, plus accommodation.
- Have the opportunity to deliver two creative writing workshops based on or inspired by Jessie Kesson’s life and work, with young writers, local youth groups, libraries, or community centres.
- Take part in a public evening event in the form of a reading or lecture.
- Have the option to contribute one piece of work to Moniack Mhor at the end of the residency.
The final terms of the Fellowship will be agreed by the successful candidate and Moniack Mhor.
This residency will take place alongside the Here and Now International Residency.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to established writers working in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, song-writing, or playwriting. To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must have published or produced at least one major piece of work (for example, one novel, one short-story collection, one poetry pamphlet, one album, or had one professional production of their work staged). It is also desirable that applicants have experience of delivering workshops, or working with children and young people and/or community groups. The Fellowship is open to UK-based writers. Travel costs within the UK will be covered by the Fellowship.
Application
Please apply by sending one document with:
- A CV which includes previous experience of work with young people and/or community groups;
- A covering letter demonstrating your qualifications for the fellowship and how it would benefit your work;
- A sample of your work (maximum 2,000 words, or 6 poems, doubled-spaced and single-sided).
- We would also be grateful if you could complete our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring Form, available to download here.
Applications are now closed. Applications for the 2024 Jessie Kesson Fellowship 2023 will open Winter 2023.
Applications should be sent by email to: awards@moniackmhor.org.uk with the subject line Jessie Kesson Fellowship or by post to Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre, Teavarran, Kiltarlity, IV4 7HT.
For any enquiries relating to the fellowship please email awards@moniackmhor.org.uk or telephone 01463 741 675.
Read about our most recent Jessie Kesson Fellows below:
2023 Fellow
2022 Fellow
2021 Fellow
