Are you an aspiring or early-career arts writer/journalist based in Scotland who would like to develop all aspects of your work?
Disability Arts Online in partnership with Creative Scotland and The Skinny are offering four disabled* writers an accessible development opportunity which includes a bursary of £1,500 (in addition to travel, accommodation and access costs), mentoring, workshops, feedback and the opportunity to have your work published.
Diverse Critics aims to equip a cohort of disabled writers with the skills needed for a career as a professional arts writer/journalist. This includes everything from improving your writing, learning how to pitch, networking opportunities with editors and managing a portfolio career. The programme will take place between February and June 2020 and will take the form of a series of five in-person workshops (location of which TBC, depending on the selected participants – but Glasgow or Edinburgh are most likely) as well as remote mentoring via Skype/telephone and writing assignments.
The workshops will cover the following topics:
· Reviewing and critique
· Interview technique
· Writing opinion pieces and features
· Pitching
· The realities of a career as a journalist
· An introduction to disability arts and writing from a disability perspective
· Managing a portfolio career
· New forms of arts critical writing, broadcast and journalism (e.g. vlogs and podcasts).
As media partner for the project, The Skinny is offering participants the opportunity to have their work published in its print and online editions as part of the programme. There will also be further paid opportunities to have writing published on Disability Arts Online.
Eligibility
Participants can be interested/specialise in any art form (or work cross art form) but must be based in Scotland and identify as disabled.
*Following the social model of disability, we define a disabled person as anyone who faces barriers as a result of impairment (sensory, physical or mental), long-term illness or health issue. This also includes those who identify as D/deaf, neurodiverse or have experienced mental health issues.
Expected commitment
In return for the £1,500 bursary, participants are expected to commit to a minimum of 15 days of their time on the project (which includes attendance at workshops, one-to-one mentoring sessions and time spent researching and writing articles). They should aim to attend all five in-person workshops. It is anticipated each participant will produce at least five pieces of writing as part of the programme.
Deadline for applications: 20 January 2020 at 17:00
How to apply
To apply, please send the following:
· One example of your arts writing (it can be new or previously published).
· A covering letter including: an original idea for an opinion piece, feature or interview and how you’d approach it (150-250 words); a short note explaining why you are interested in the opportunity and what you think you will get out of it (max 500 words); and any access requirements you would have to be able to attend the course, including travel and accommodation needs (these will not factor into decision making).
· A CV covering all of your professional/artistic experience – not just journalism/writing.
· A completed equal opportunities monitoring form.
We can accept all materials in alternative formats such as video, audio or something else that is more accessible to you.
Please send all materials to: joe@disabilityartsonline.org.uk
If this application process is not accessible to you or you would like information in an alternative format, please contact: cathy@disabilityartsonline.org.uk
