Writer in Residence Commission for 2025

Crossing the Tees Book Festival invite writers from the Tees Valley to apply for the writer in residence commission for the 2025 festival.

The festival would like to commission a writer in residence to support the 2025 Short Story Competition.

The writer in residence will be expected to:

• Plan, promote and deliver a series of writing workshops in each of the five authorities that will support writers to enter the competition
• Offer mentoring sessions to workshop participants
• Promote the competition across the Tees Valley
• Write their own short story for inclusion in the anthology
• Document their residency on the festival social media platforms.

The writing workshops should take place during May and June with the competition closing on 31 July 2025.

The festival will provide:

• Suitable spaces for workshops in all authorities
• Access to power and presentation facilities
• Photocopying facilities
• Support of library staff

The writer in residence will need to provide:

• All materials and resources required to deliver workshops for up to 12 participants
• Timesheets of hours worked on the project
• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (payment of £21.50 will be reimbursed if required)

FEE

The fee for this project will be £4000 including travel expenses. We anticipate that this time will include the following:

• 10 workshops including preparation time
• Mentoring of participants – approx. 30 hours
• Promotion of competition
• Time to write your own short story
• Contribution to the social media pages during the period of the festival

PAYMENT

The fee will be paid in two installments by Stockton Borough Council within 30 days of a dated invoice. £2000 will be paid at the start of the project and £2000 will be paid following the closure of the short story competition July 2025.

PROPOSAL

Your proposal should include:

• A written outline of what the workshops will involve and how the competition could be promoted
• Details of any experience working with community groups
• Details of your writing experience and what you would hope to gain from the project
• Two work related referees

Applicants must live in Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Hartlepool or Redcar & Cleveland. Submission of the proposal should be sent to info@crossingthetees.org by Monday 3 February 2025. Interviews will take place on Wednesday 12 February at Grove Hill Community Hub, Middlesbrough.