Tyrone Guthrie Centre Bursary Awards 2024: Children’s Books Ireland
Children’s Books Ireland and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre are pleased to announce an opportunity for artists to avail of a week-long residency, to take place between 19th and 26th February or 26th February and 4th March 2024.
At a glance
- One bursary is on offer to support an upcoming, unpublished, aspiring Irish children’s author
- One bursary is on offer to support an emerging artist, published but in their early career
- One bursary is on offer to support a children’s artist published in the Irish language, at any stage in their career
- Four bursaries are on offer to support mid-career artists
- The bursary is available to Irish children’s books authors or illustrators, working in English or Irish.
- Bursary recipients will attend Tyrone Guthrie centre between 19th and 26th February or 26th February and 4th March 2024, non-transferrable
- Bursary recipients will have a week’s stay at Tyrone Guthrie Centre covered and will also receive a stipend of €325
- Applicants for the mid-career artist bursaries must have at least two books for children published by a recognised publisher; applicants for the emerging artist bursary must have one book for children published by a recognised publisher; applicants for the aspiring author bursary do not need to have a published work, but must have a completed manuscript in the English or Irish language.
- Applications via email only to info@childrensbooksireland.ie.
The deadline for applications is 4pm on Friday 10th November 2023.
The majority of these bursaries are designed specifically for mid-career Irish children’s books authors or illustrators, working in English or Irish. Following previous successful residencies, Children’s Books Ireland and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre are delighted to offer the bursaries again this year with a focus on creative exchange and collaboration. While several other schemes support emerging and debut artists, these bursaries exist to support more experienced, published authors and illustrators who require time and space to focus on their craft to the benefit of their continuing careers.
Also, Children’s Books Ireland is pleased to offer the Betty and Jenny Bursary, sponsored by author Rod Smith and named for his mother and mother-in-law who both sadly passed away in 2022, for one aspiring author to join this cohort. The bursary exists to give an upcoming, early career yet unpublished author a chance to develop their skills and benefit from the creative surroundings of the Tyrone Guthrie Centre.
Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde will be in attendance and the Laureate na nÓg project will fund two additional bursaries. Preference for one of these places will be given to a children’s artist published in the Irish language, at any stage in their career. The other place will fund an emerging artist, published but in their early career, working in either English or Irish. The Tyrone Guthrie Centre will fund one bursary for a mid-career Northern Irish artist.
Finally, Roscommon County Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will fund a bursary for one mid-career artist each should a successful applicant reside in their administrative area.
Applicants for the mid-career artist bursaries must have at least two books for children published by a recognised publisher. Applications will be accepted by email only to info@childrensbooksireland.ie. Please include a cover letter including a statement of artistic intent, outlining the project you would like to focus on during your stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre as well as an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (max two A4 pages).
Applicants for the Laureate na nÓg funded emerging artist must have at least one book for children published by a recognised publisher. Applications will be accepted by email only to info@childrensbooksireland.ie. Please include a cover letter including a statement of artistic intent, outlining the project you would like to focus on during your stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre as well as an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (max two A4 pages).
Applicants for the aspiring author bursary do not need to have a published work, but must have a completed manuscript in the English or Irish language. Applications will be accepted by email only to info@childrensbooksireland.ie. Please include a cover letter featuring a statement of artistic intent, outlining how your stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre will be of benefit to your creative career, as well as an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (max two A4 pages).
In addition to the cost of a week’s stay at Tyrone Guthrie Centre being covered, these bursaries also provide a financial stipend of €325 in each case. This is intended to contribute towards travel, childcare or any other costs which may be a barrier to the artist’s participation. Children’s Books Ireland is committed to diversity, representation and inclusion and welcomes applications from all artists who meet the criteria.