The Gibbons Samuel Beckett Creative Fellow at Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin invites applications from mid-career and established writers
for this award, which supports the creation of new writing in response to the Beckett
Archive at Trinity. The archive comprises the largest single collection of Beckett’s
correspondence in a research institution, plus notebooks, manuscript drafts, theatre
rehearsal notes, photographs, and ephemera. The gives a writer the opportunity to
engage with this rich collection and to produce an original piece of writing inspired by
their time in the archive. The writer will offer a workshop for students and a public
interview or reading, but they will not be asked to do any formal teaching.
1.1 The Gibbons Samuel Beckett Creative Fellow - benefits:
The writer will be engaged for the spring 2027 semester (three months) and will have
access to a working space in the Oscar Wilde Centre in the School of English at Trinity,
and the opportunity to engage with Beckett’s archival materials, facilitated by the
library. We invite applications from writers based in Ireland or overseas.
The award covers accommodation on campus, economy return flights, and
subsistence up to a maximum of 2,000 per month for the 3 months of the award.
Following the three-month period in Trinity, the writer is offered a two-week residency
in the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris to write up their work. The award covers
accommodation at the CCI and economy flights from Dublin to Paris.
1.2 The Gibbons Samuel Beckett Creative Fellow - duties:
The writer’s duties are as follows:
• Completion of an original piece of writing in response to Beckett’s archive.
• A workshop for students in the School of English.
• A public interview or reading in the Trinity Long Room Hub.
1.3 Who May Apply?
The award is open to mid-career and established writers working in prose fiction,
poetry, creative non-fiction, theatre, or film. Applicants must have a publishing track
record of at least one novel, one full collection of stories or poems, or equivalent in
their field, and their work will have been published by a recognised publisher.
1.4 Making an Application:
To make an application, writers should provide the following three documents:
1. Proposal (1-2 pages):
A detailed proposal outlining their planned piece of writing which will respond to the
Beckett archive. The library has provided a summary list of the contents of the Beckett
archive. Applicants are encouraged to consult this list and to identify the specific
items to which they will respond, and to highlight what is distinctive about their
proposed project.
2. Artist’s Statement (1 page):
A statement describing how the residency could impact the applicant’s creative
practice.
3. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages):
A detailed CV outlining creative achievements and including a list of publications.
Applications should be sent to Ruth Archbold at ARCHBOLR@tcd.ie by 5.30 pm on
Thursday 7 January 2027. Applications will be accepted by email only. Applications
received after the closing date will not be accepted.
1.5 Assessment Process:
Your application will be deemed ineligible and will not go any further in the process if
any of the following is true:
1. You miss the application deadline.
2. You do not meet the eligibility requirements.
3. You do not submit the three required documents.
The selection committee will be made up of representatives from the School of
English, Oscar Wilde Centre, and an external panellist with literary expertise. The
selection committee will shortlist applicants based on the following criteria:
• artistic track record of applicant.
• quality of idea as outlined in the application.
• potential impact of award on the writer’s own creative practice.
The panel will make the final decision based on the above criteria and decisions will
be communicated in January 2027. The period of the fellowship begins in February
2027.
Queries to Dr Julie Bates, School of English: batesju@tcd.ie
Summary List of Beckett Archive - Library of Trinity College Dublin