Mitchell Library hosts a vast collection of original archival material relating to Scotland’s shared history with the Caribbean, forged in many ways in the 1750s by the North Atlantic Slave Trade. The Caribbean has dispersed archives and resources though not, as yet, coherent collections on this topic.
We’re delighted to put out the call for two Caribbean writers from the Commonwealth to take up residence at Mitchell Library for three weeks this August, with a creative brief to explore and respond to the archive of original source material from the time period. One Scottish writer will then head to Trinidad in September for three weeks, one spent in the company of literature networks in Port of Spain and a further two of independent travel to visit dispersed resources across the Caribbean region and do the same. Writers will publicly explore the relationship between the two places and the craft of weaving history into their stories.
To apply for this opportunity, please download the Call for Expressions of Interest. Interested parties will need to send their CV and a 500 word statement explaining why they are interested in the opportunity and what particularly interests them about the relationship between the Caribbean and Scotland to UK_Residency@britishcouncil.org no later than 12pm on Sunday 13 July 2014.
Trading Tales is one of four literature programmes around the Commonwealth Games that explores Scotland’s relationship with the broader Commonwealth through those that know it best – its writers and storytellers. See links to the side of this article to read more about theCommonwealth Writers conversation that happened at the Aye Write festival in May, and the ongoing Poets United project with the Scottish Poetry Library.