Residency for Writers in Amsterdam
Authors
In 2006 the Amsterdam Writer’s Residency opened its doors. The project was initiated by the Dutch Foundation for Literature. The foundation provides foreign writers with a residency in the historic and literary heart of Amsterdam, and in its academic centre, with access to the University of Amsterdam library and everything that is on offer at Athenaeum Bookshop, the downstairs neighbour.
Video introduction
Applications
If you are a foreign author interested in the Amsterdam Residency Programme please read the conditions carefully. Please also note that applications have to be made well in advance. In 2020, Anglophone authors will be given priority due to our large-scale campaign New Dutch Writing in the English language area during this year. If you think you meet the programme’s requirements, write us an e-mail with a short biography and explain us what project you would like to work on while in Amsterdam. We would also like to know if there is a specific reason why you want to come to the Netherlands. And don’t forget to mention the Dutch publishing house that has published your work. If we think you are a suitable candidate we will respond to your e-mail and encourage you to apply formally. This means that participation in the programme is only at the invitation of the board of the foundation.
If you do not meet the basic requirements to apply, you will not receive a response or rejection letter. Due to the continuous and large-scale interest in the residency we unfortunately cannot answer every email. We apologize in advance.
If you represent a (foreign) organisation (e.g. publishing house or cultural institute) it is also possible to recommend an author to our programme. Please write us an e-mail explaining why you think the author is a suitable candidate and we will respond in due time. Please note that authors that have not found a Dutch publisher yet, do not meet our requirements.
On the YouTube-channel of the Nederlands Letterenfonds (Dutch Foundation for Literature) you will find many short videos with previous writers in residence.
Conditions
Only authors whose work has been translated into Dutch can apply. Both novelists, poets, children book writers and essayists (of relevance to the current political debate in the Netherlands and beyond) are, in principle, eligible for the programme. The final selection is influenced by the ways in which the writer-in-residence might play his part in Amsterdam or the Netherlands. Most guest writers come not only to write or to do research, but also to promote the translation of one of their books or to attend a literary festival.
Even though the programme is mainly intended for European authors, this does not necessarily exclude authors from outside Europe. And finally it is good to know that most writers participating in the programme have a very specific reason for coming to Amsterdam.
The residency period is expected to last around six weeks. The guest writers use their time in Amsterdam for their own work and research, but they are also involved in the city’s literary and cultural life. All candidates may be asked to give public performances, guest lectures or readings for students and to write articles for newspapers or magazines.
Apartment
Spui
The writers’ residence is located in the heart of Amsterdam. The square on which the apartment looks out is called ‘het Spui’. The apartment is decorated with Dutch Design. Many young Dutch designers and interior decorators have supported the residence project with furniture, lamps and decorative elements. The apartment is also decorated with paintings by the late, multi-talented Dutch author Henk van Woerden. Athenaeum Booksellers will see to a well-stocked library of Dutch literature in translation, as well as foreign studies dealing with Dutch and European history and contemporary issues.
Design for the apartment has been provided by Droog Design, Eikelenboom, Moooi, Linteloo, Pol’s Potten, Scorlewald and Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum, and by the designers Jacob de Baan, Hil Driessen, Trine Kornum, Sara Kramer, Reny van der Kamp and Ineke van der Struijs.
Current writer in residence (December 2021 & January 2022)
Expected in 2022 (with a proviso)
- Max Greyson (Belgium) NL / EN
- Wang Jiaxin (China) NL / EN
- Michel Faber (UK) NL / EN
- Jenny Offill (USA) NL / EN
- Ali Smith (Scotland) NL / EN
- Ali Smith (Scotland) NL / EN
Guest writers (previous)
- Astrid Roemer (Surinam) NL
- March - July 2020
- Moya De Feyter (Belgium) NL / EN
- March 2020 (residency in cooperation with Passa Porta)
- Jesse Ball (USA) NL / EN
- 20 January - 24 February 2020
- Lies Van Gasse (Belgium) NL / EN
- 15 November - 15 December 2019
- Dorthe Nors (Denmark) NL / EN
- 1 October - 10 November 2019
- Erika Fatland (Norway) NL / EN
- 3-29 September 2019
- Kamil Bałuk (Poland) NL / EN
- 2 July - 31 August
- Frank Báez (Dominican Republic) NL / EN
- 6-30 June 2019 - in cooperation with Poetry International Festival
- Rosemary Sullivan (Canada) NL / EN
- 2 - 31 May 2019
- Kate Mosse (United Kingdom) NL / EN
- 3 - 22 April 2019
- The residency was closed for maintenance in March.
- Antjie Krog (South Africa) NL / EN
- 21 January - 20 February 2019
- Hugh Aldersey-Williams (United Kingdom) NL / EN
- 3 December 2018 - 15 January 2019
- Jeroen Olyslaegers (Belgium) NL / EN
- 2 October - 30 November 2018
- Paolo Cognetti (Italy) NL / EN
- 10 - 30 September 2018
- Manu Joseph (India) NL / EN
- 4 July - 30 August 2018
- Francesca Melandri (Italy) NL / EN
- 1 May - 1 June 2018
- Emuna Elon (Israel) NL / EN
- 9 - 22 April 2018
- Rodrigo Blanco Calderon (Venezuela) NL / EN
- 7 March - 7 April 2018
- Fatma Aydemir (Germany) NL / EN
- 18 January - 19 February 2018
- Nell Zink (V.S. / Germany) NL / EN
- December 2017 - 15 January 2018
- Olivier Rolin (France) NL / EN
- medio October - November 2017
- Atiq Rahimi (France) NL / EN
- September - medio October 2017
- Julia Deck (France) NL / EN
- August 2017
- Maud Vanhauwaert (Belgium) NL / EN The Dutch Foundation and Passa Porta yearly exchange a Dutch and a Flemish resident; this year our Flemish guest is Maud Vanhauwaert
- May - June 2017
- Aura Xilonen (Mexico) NL / EN
- March - April 2017
- Elisa Albert NL / EN
- Jan 9 – Febr 28, 2017
- Kristine Bilkau (Germany) NL / EN
- Nov 1 – Dec 16
- Frank Witzel (Germany) NL / EN
- September – October
- Tom Struyf (Belgium) NL / EN
- The Dutch Foundation and Passa Porta yearly exchange a Dutch and a Flemish resident; this year our Flemish guest was Tom Struyf
- May 16 – June 10
- Mirna Funk (Berlin & Tel Aviv) NL / EN
- April 4 – May 13
- Karen Köhler (Hamburg) NL / EN
- Febr 15 -March 31
- Per Leo (Berlin) NL / EN
- Jan 12 - Febr 12
- Maintenance / closed for the holidays
- December
- Andy Fierens (Belgium) NL / EN
- November
- Nir Baram (Isr) NL / EN
- Sept-Oct
- Andrea Bajani (Italy) NL / EN
- July
- Eleanor Catton (New Zealand) NL / EN
- May - June
- Michaïl Shishkin (Russia) NL / EN
- March - April
- DBC Pierre (Australia) NL / EN
- February - March
- Katharina Teutsch (Germany) NL / EN
- November - December
- Roderik Six (Belgium) NL / EN
- September - November
- Philipp Blom (Germany) NL / EN
- August - September
- Jesús Carrasco (Spain) EN / NL
- June - July
- Hila Blum (Israel) Eng / NL
- April - May
- Olga Grjasnowa (Azerbaijan/Germany) EN / NL
- March - April
- Dato Turashvili (Georgia) EN / NL
- February - March
- Nihad Siries (Syria) EN / NL
- January - February
- Ece Temelkuran (Turkey) EN / NL
- November - December
- Davide Enia (Italy) EN / Blog / NL
- September 25 - October 28
- David Vann (United States) EN / NL
- August 5 - September 20
- Jane Draycott (United Kingdom)
- June 15 - July 31
- Kettly Mars (Haiti)
- April 16 - June 16
- Peter Terrin (Belgium)
- March 9 – April 5
- Asmaa Azaizeh (Palestina)
- February 26 – March 8
- Jevgenija Jarmisj (Russia)
- February 13-25
- Mohamed Magani (Algeria)
- January
- Florence Noiville (France)
- December
- Nir Baram (Israel)
- November
- Sevim Ak (Turkey)
- Oktober
- Antonio Muñoz Molina (Spain)
- mid-August-September
- Andrea Bajani (Italy)
- July / mid-August
- Ronelda S. Kamfer (South-Africa)
- mid-April / June
- Yves Petry (Belgium)
- March / mid-April
- Etienne van Heerden (South Africa)
- February
- Bernice Chauly (Malaysia)
- December - January 2012
- Bernice Chauly (Malaysia)
- December - January 2012
- Rita Raley (USA)
- December
- Pola Oloixarac (Argentina)
- November
- Su Tong (China)
- August - October
- Mian Mian (China)
- August - October
- Petina Gappah (Zimbabwe)
- Mid July - August
- Tim Parks (UK)
- June 15th - July 15th
- John Green (USA)
- April - June 15th
- Frank Adam (Belgium)
- March
- Charles Lewinsky (Switzerland)
- February
- Victor LaValle (USA)
- September - January 2011
resident in cooperation with Binger Filmlab - Victor LaValle (USA)
- September - January 2011
resident in cooperation with Binger Filmlab - James Cowan (Australia)
- September - November
- Davide Longo (Italy)
- July - August
- Susan Swan (Canada)
- July
- Ewa Lipska (Poland)
- June
- Jachym Topol (Czech Republic)
- April - May
- Bart Koubaa (Belgium)
- March
- Dasa Drndic (Croatia)
- February
- Ugur Ziya Simsek (Turkey)and Seray Sahiner (Turkey)
- January
- Bernice Eisenstein (Canada)
- November - December
- Ramsey Nasr (The Netherlands)
- October
- Perihan Magden (Turkey)
- September
- María Fasce (Argentina)
- August
- Henri Deluy (France)
- May - July
- Joseph O’Neill (Ireland/USA)
- March - April
- Eduardo Agualusa (Angola/Portugal)
- January - February
- Florence Noiville (France)
- October 2008 - January 2009
- Wilhelm Genazino (Germany)
- cancelled
- Witi Ihimaera (New Zealand)
- September 1 - February 2008
- Marlene van Niekerk (South-Africa)
- November 2007 - March 2008
- Petra Hulová (Czech Republic)
- January - April
- Pierre Assouline (France)
- April-May
- Hayden White (USA)
- May
- Roni Margulies (Great Britain & Turkey)
- June-July
- Jamal Mahjoub (Great Britain & Sudan)
- July-August
- Goce Smilevski (Macedonia)
- August - October
- Richard Mason (UK / South-Africa)EN/NL
- September
- Ragip Zarakolu (Turkey)
- September
- Florence Noiville (France)
- October 2008 - January 2009
- Anne Provoost (Belgium)
- November
- E.K.M. Dido (South-Africa)
- December
- Bernice Eisenstein (Canada)
- April
- Olga Tokarczuk (Poland)
- January 2007 - April
- Saskia De Coster (Belgium)
- April 15 - June 15
- Etienne van Heerden (South-Africa)
- August
- Lilian Faschinger (Austria)
- September 2007 - December
- Witi Ihimaera (New Zealand)
- September 1 - February 2008
- Sudeep Sen (India)
- September - mid October
- Marlene van Niekerk (South-Africa)
- November 2007 - March 2008
- Frank Martinus Arion (Curaçao)
- October - December 2006
- David van Reybrouck (Belgium)
- October - December 2006
- More video’s on the YouTube channel Nederlands Letterenfonds and on whyilovethisbook
2018
2017
Aura Xilonen on the diary of Anne Frank (Spanish spoken).
2016
In 2016, leading up to the Frankfurter Buchmesse where the Netherlands and Flanders were guest of honour, the Dutch Foundation invited German writers-in-residence only.
Recommendations on Dutch Literature by the German writers in residence.
2015
WiR Nir Baram on his novel The World is a Rumor (Wereldschaduw in Dutch translation by Sylvie Hoyinck for Bezige Bij Publishers).
2014
2013
Ece Temelkuran on her novel Banana Sounds (Het geluid van bananen in Dutch translation by Margreet Dorleijn for Van Gennep Publishers).
2012
2011
2010
2009
UvA-appartment
Since 2009 the Geldersekade apartment is no longer a location we can use all year round. Only on special request and in consultation with the University of Amsterdam a writer can make use of it.
