The University of Winchester Writers' Festival has launched a scholarship for a talented 'under-represented' writer of children's or Young Adult fiction to attend this year's event which takes place on 15-17 June.
Sponsored by the Hampshire-based Lindsay Literary Agency - which was set up in 2008 and represents a range of children's authors - the scholarship package covers the cost of three days at the Festival, including access to all workshops and talks, a seat at the keynote address by novelist Patrick Gale and four one-to-one appointments with industry experts, as well as all meals, accommodation and travel.
The new scholarship is open to a children's fiction writer (YA or middle grade), of any age, from an under-represented background, including LGBTQIA, BAME and people with disabilities.
Becky Bagnell, founder of the Lindsay Literary Agency, said: "We're delighted to be sponsoring this scholarship place. The Winchester Writers' Festival is where I met two of the agency's most inspirational authors and it is really important to us to able to extend this opportunity to a writer from an under-represented background."
"I'm absolutely delighted that the Lindsay Literary Scholarship, generously sponsored by Becky Bagnell, is supporting our aim to widen participation at an established and highly respected festival like Winchester," said Judith Heneghan, Festival Director and Programme Leader of MA Writing for Children at the University of Winchester.
Alongside the Lindsay Literary Scholarship, ten Festival scholarships are available to young writers aged 18-25 years. Successful candidates have free access to all Festival activities, four one-to-one appointments with agents and editors, two one-day courses, four talks, the Saturday Festival Reading and two open mics, plus lunch each day.
Judith Heneghan added: "The Festival scholarship scheme is now in its fifth year and offers an unrivalled opportunity for younger writers to attend workshops and one-to-one meetings with agents and editors, making personal contacts with specialists in the literary world. Any young writers who are keen to develop their creative writing skills are welcome to apply for a Scholarship."
There are also a number of £50 bursaries available for writers experiencing financial difficulty which are open to all Festival attendees.
Information on how to apply for the Lindsay Literary Scholarship, the ten Festival scholarships and the bursaries is available on the Festival website or from Festival director Judith Heneghan by email: Judith.Heneghan@winchester.ac.uk. The deadline to apply for all scholarships is Friday 13 April 2018.
Photo above shows the 2017 Writers' Festival scholars with keynote speaker Lemn Sissay, Vice-Chancellor Professor Joy Carter and Festival Director Judith Heneghan.