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Academi Writers’ Bursaries 2009
Time to write
Twenty four writers, of whom 5 are currently unpublished, have been awarded a total of £95,000 in writing bursaries by Academi, the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency. A writing bursary gives published and unpublished writers the time to write. As well as supporting new talent, bursaries have been awarded to many established figures in the literary world.
Fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction are all well-represented in the 2009 list.
New Welsh fiction will be boosted with novels from David Llewellyn, Jeb Loy Nichols, Alex Barr and Caroline Ross. Welsh language novelist Tony Bianchi will complete his first English language novel. Prose writer Imogen Herrad will work on a biographical novel Caratacos’ Daughter. An Academi bursary will allow Mary-Ann Constantine to work on her collection of short stories, while award winning short-story writer Jo Mazelis will concentrate on completing her first novel.
Poets Meirion Jordan, and Kelly Grovier have been awarded bursaries to work on their second collections of poetry.
Robert Lewis, author of Welsh noir novels The Last Llanelli Train and Swansea Terminal switches from fiction to creative non-fiction. He will investigate the death of Dr David Kelly. John Williams, author of The Cardiff Trilogy, will complete a biography of Shirley Bassey. An Academi bursary will buy poet Jasmine Donahaye research and writing time to work on her creative non-fiction project which explores the Jewish and Palestinian experience following 1947-48. Journalist Anthony Reynolds will write Born Under Punches, a history of the relationship between jazz and boxing.
Emerging Welsh writers Euron Griffith, Keri Finlayson, Vanessa Savage, and John Fraser Williams have been awarded New Writers’ bursaries.
The Welsh-language recipients are poet and literary translator Elin ap Hywel, novelist Joanna Davies, academic and poet Llion Pryderi Roberts, novelist Delyth George, academic and literary critic Robert Rhys, and freelance journalist and author Hefin Wyn.
Peter Finch, Chief Executive of Academi said: “Bursaries remain the single most effective way to help writers – they buy valuable time and space in a world where both those commodities are increasingly rare. In an economic downturn demand for the arts always increases with writing at the forefront. At the Academi we are proud to have discovered such a diverse and deserving range of recipients. We only wish we could extend our help more.”
Kathryn Gray, who chaired the Academi Bursaries Panel meeting commented:
“While the 2009 Bursaries Panel has, despite financial constraints, managed to balance the competing needs of emergent and established writers, the pressure on funds is evident: no major awards have been made this year. The Bursaries Scheme is crucial in furthering the literatures of Wales both in the short and longer term. There are grave concerns that, as the economic crisis deepens, demand for bursaries will only increase, while funds remain static – which could compromise the efficacy of the Bursaries Scheme in supporting the development of outstanding work from Wales and providing new writers, in particular, with an enhanced profile.”
Notes to editors
Academi
• Yr Academi Gymreig is the Welsh National Literature Development Agency and Society for Authors. It was established in 1959, following discussions between Bobi Jones and Waldo Williams.
• In 1998 the Society’s role increased greatly when it won the Arts Council of Wales franchise to become Wales’ National Literature Promotion Agency.
• The Academi works in partnership with Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre in Llanystumdwy. The Academi works with the support of the Arts Council of Wales.
• The Academi is responsible for organising the Book of the Year award, literary events (conferences, dinners, poetry tours, lectures), writers’ bursaries, Writing Squads, various support schemes.
• The Academi has joined the Urdd, Welsh National Opera and other organisations as a resident of the Wales Millennium Centre.
• Academi is pleased to be the recipient of an Arts Council of Wales Beacon Company Award 2008 – 2010.
Bursaries
Writers’ Bursaries are awarded annually by the Academi and full details are available at www.academi.org
A full list of all bursary recipients is shown below. Academi will be pleased to supply further biographical details for journalists wishing to run features on writers who may be of particular interest to their readers.
Academi Bursaries Panel 2008-09:
Gwen Davies (Chair), Catherine Fisher, Kathryn Gray, Amanda Hopkinson, Idris Reynolds.
Academi Writers’ Bursaries 2009
Alex Barr - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,120
Joanna Davies - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Euron Griffith - New Writer’s Bursary £4,000
Jo Mazelis - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Jeb Loy Nichols - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,000
Tony Bianchi - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Meirion Jordan - Published Writer’s Bursary £4,000
Anthony Reynolds - Published Writer’s Bursary £2,500
Caroline Ross - Published Writer’s Bursary £2,000
David Llewellyn - Published Writer’s Bursary£4,000
Keri Finlayson - New Writer’s Bursary Writer’s Bursary £3,000
John Fraser Williams - New Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Llion Pryderi Roberts - New Writer’s Bursary £4,800
Delyth George - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Imogen Herrad - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,000
Robert Rhys - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Elin ap Hywel - Published Writer’s Bursary £4,320
Kelly Grovier - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,000
Robert Lewis - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,000
Jasmine Donahaye - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
John Williams - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Hefin Wyn - Published Writer’s Bursary £5,000
Mary-Ann Constantine - Published Writer’s Bursary £3,260
Vanessa Savage - New Writer’s Bursary £3,000
Cyfanswm / Total: £95,000
23 March 2009
Academi
Mount Stuart House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF10 5FQ.
Chief Executive: Peter Finch
phone: 029 2047 2266 fax: 029 2049 2930
www.academi.org post@academi.org
Academi is supported by the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government.
Academi works in partnership with the Tŷ Newydd Centre for Writers.
Registered charity number 50640
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