The Romani Cultural and Arts Company’s trailblazing new creative writing project ‘Gypsy Writers’ kicks off in September 2023, inviting applications from emerging Gypsy, Roma and Traveller writers currently living in Wales.

The Romani Cultural and Arts Company has gratefully received £30,000 from the Book Council of Wales to develop this ground-breaking literary project, which will generate new writing from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller writers currently living in Wales.

Extending the Romani Cultural and Arts Company’s highly successful Gypsy Maker programme, five emerging writers will be commissioned for a competitive mentoring and writing development programme. The writers must be Gypsy, Roma and Travellers and must not have previously published (online or in print) a chapbook, pamphlet, collection of poems, short stories, or a novel.

Applications to participate in the programme will be accepted from 15th September 2023 via email to grtwriters@romaniarts.co.uk. Each author will be paid £2,000 and must commit to being available for the duration of the mentoring scheme from September 2023 until July 2024.

Funds will be used to commission a leading Gypsy, Roma and Traveller writer to steer the development of new creative writing by offering tailored one-to-one mentoring, prose and poetry workshops, and industry-specific training.

‘Gypsy Writers’ is a highly competitive scheme which aims to nourish the rich talent in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and bring exciting, marginalised voices to the attention of the publishing industry.

The project will run until July 2024.