International Writing Program at the University Of Iowa

The International Writing Program [IWP] at the University of Iowa is seeking candidates for the 2009 cycle of their prestigious international residency program. The ten-week residency in Iowa City will begin on august 29, 2009 and end on November 17, 2009.

International Writing Program Residency Program Description
The objective of the program is to bring together a wide range of international and U.S. writers to examine current trends in literature including fiction, drama, poetry and screen writing and to explore the creative process involved in writing. The Bureau of the Educational and Cultural Affairs expects that this professional enrichment will be enhanced for international participants by a firsthand experience of U.S. society and culture.  The international writers will spend 10 weeks in residence at the University of Iowa in Iowa City presenting their work to local audiences, participating in university level workshops and working with translators. This aspect of the program will help these participants bring their countries' literary works to a wider audience and learn more about U.S. literature.  The 2009 program will feature increased opportunities for writers to participate in optional collaborative projects with artists from other disciplines including theater and dance.  The residency will include field trips for the writers to attend literary events including the humanities festival in Chicago.  Participants will also travel for a total of 10 days within the U.S. to meet with local writers and collaborate with artists who work in other genres.  Further details about the program are available on the IWP website http://iwp.uiowa.edu.

Participant Qualifications
IWP provides a unique inter-cultural experience for established writers who have achieved literary distinction in their own countries, as well as for rising stars who have demonstrated literary talent, broad appeal and/or an interest in contributing to the creative writing culture in their home countries. Poets, fiction writers, dramatists and screenwriters are eligible for nomination.  Literary translators and writers whose publications and careers focus on non-fiction (journalism, cultural commentary, biography and memoirs) are also eligible for this program. Candidates should have at least one published volume of work, or works that have appeared in significant publications over a period of at least two years. All nominees must be fluent in English, comfortable with cross-cultural dynamics and interested in close interaction with other artists from a multiplicity of diverse cultures.  Please note that in order for writers to fully benefit from this residency, they will need to have the flexibility in their schedules to spend 10-weeks in the U.S. due to housing limitations at the University of Iowa and the intense nature of this residency, family members are not allowed to accompany the writers for the duration of the residency.

Candidates will need to submit a CV and a 10-15 page writing sample in English or English translation

All nomination packages should be uploaded to the IWP electronic nomination website:
http://iwp.grad.uiowa.edu.  

The deadline for receiving the nominations is April 10, 2009.

Interested candidates should contact:
Public Affairs Section
American Embassy
Tel: 2464-3406
Email: baqerbm@state.gov