Residency for Writers in Amsterdam

Authors

Since 2006, the Dutch Foundation for Literature has welcomed foreign authors to the Spui in Amsterdam as writers in residence. Dozens of writers from all over the world have been inspired at and by this fascinating spot at the heart of the city. It is where John Green wrote his famous YA novel The Fault in Our Stars, where Polish author and Nobel Prize laureate Olga Tokarczuk worked on her novel Flights, where South African author Etienne van Heerden completed his 30 Nights in Amsterdam and where young Israeli author Nir Baram laid the foundations for his much-praised novel World Shadow.

The residency is situated in the lively 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.

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. 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 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 a month to 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

Amsterdam Residency for Writers 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

June: Safia Elhillo (USA) NL / EN

Expected in 2022 & 2023 (with a proviso)

July: Jenny Offill (USA) NL / EN
August: Ariel Magnus (Argentina) NL / EN
October: Sarah Manyika (UK) NL / EN
November: Leila Slimani (France) NL / EN
February 2023: Max Greyson (Belgium) NL / EN

Guest writers (previous)

Hengameh Yaghoobifarah (Germany) NL / EN

May 2022

Michel Faber (UK) NL / EN

April 2022

Wang Jiaxin (China) NL / EN

March 2022

Sasja Filipenko (Belarus) NL / EN

December 2021 - January 2022

2020 & 2021

Maxim Osipov (Russia) NL / EN

November 2021

Ayesha Harrunna Attah (Ghana) NL / EN

October 2021

Jen Beagin (USA) NL / EN

August 2021

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 2019
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

2018

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

2017

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: May - June 2017
Aura Xilonen (Mexico) NL / EN: March - April 2017
Elisa Albert NL / EN: Jan 9 – Febr 28, 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.

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

^{Recommendations on Dutch Literature by the German writers in residence.}

2015

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

^{WiR Nir Baram on his novel The World is a Rumor (Wereldschaduw in Dutch translation by Sylvie Hoyinck for Bezige Bij Publishers).}

2014

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

2013

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

^{Ece Temelkuran on her novel Banana Sounds (Het geluid van bananen in Dutch translation by Margreet Dorleijn for Van Gennep Publishers).}

2012

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

2011

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

2010

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

2009

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

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.

Latest video portrait:

More video’s on the YouTube channel Nederlands Letterenfonds and on whyilovethisbook

Programs