Writers need space. And literary residencies are meant to offer us that space.

The importance of literary residencies cannot be overstated. Anyone who has ever tried to write a novel, or work on something substantial, be it a collection of stories or poems knows it takes oodles of time, hard work, efficacy, focus, and creativity. They know it needs a space that is outside the space and time of our everyday lives. 

We have curated all the opportunities which will allow you to choose the right residency for you based on your choices. Some residencies are more self-driven, and some come with more structure. The writer can choose based on where they are in their writing life.  

{To learn more about writing retreats check out our blog post – ‘What is a Writing Retreat: Meaning and Schedule‘}

1. Sangam House

Sangam House is India’s pre-eminent literary residency. It is as proper as it gets in terms of the space offered, the quality of writers, and the kind of support and prestige it garners throughout the country and the world. Applying to Sangam House also makes one automatically eligible for twelve different fellowships. For example – the Ammi Fellowship which allows writers of regional Indian languages to be eligible for residency support. There is also the Bhoomija fellowship for Kannada writing. There are fellowships promoting the work of American writers, Sri Lankan Tamil writers and French writers. If you are selected for any one of these fellowships, you will be offered the Sangam House literary residency.

They have been gracing the literary ecosystem of India for a long time from their first season in 2008. They will open applications in April-May for the season 17 in 2024. 

Notable alumni include Janice Pariat, Perumal Murugan, Aditi Rao, Anu Singh Chaudhary, Manav Kaul, Raghu Karnad and many more.

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka

Structure of the Residency: Self-driven. This literary residency is mostly self-driven, that is to say that writers and poets will spend their time as they please. The residents only gather at 8 pm in the evening to share their work, conduct readings etc. Sometimes Sangam House hosts public events for their writers so that they can engage with the environment they are in.

Duration: 1-month 

Timing: November, December and January. The writers can choose their preferences. 

Accommodation: The Jamun in Bangalore offers a beautiful space for all selected writers to sit in peace and work on their manuscripts. It is a big bungalow located in a nice, green street of suburban Bangalore and has four big rooms along with two smaller studio spaces. The rooms come with bathrooms and wifi access. Wooden panellings, spacious surroundings, inspired art pieces and comfortable avenues make The Jamun the perfect place to undertake a literary residency. All the creature comforts of a city like restaurants and shops lie just within a ten-minute radius from The Jamun. 

Charges: If awarded, the residency is free of cost. The writers will have to cover their travel expenses and Visa costs. 

Application Requirements: It must be noted that Sangam House mentions on their website that they choose writers who have published to some acclaim yet have not seen any mainstream commercial success. They take applications from Submittable and ask for a writing sample (50 pages), a residency work plan, a recommendation letter from a writer or editor who knows their work, a CV and a cover letter. They usually pick five or six writers for each month. 

2. The Kolam Writers Workshop

The Kolam Writers’ Workshop is another up-and-coming avenue for emerging writers. However, it is a workshop which means that the writers will engage with each other much more than what they do in a writing residency. Literary residencies usually leave it upon the writer as to how they want to manage their time. Workshops on the other hand are a more rigorous environment where writers and poets engage with each other and the mentors and share, critique and transform their writing. 

The Kolam Writers’ Workshop was started in April of 2016 by Anil Menon (novelist and Editor-in-Chief of The Bombay Literary Magazine), Akshat Nigam (winner of The Hindu Playwright Award and storyteller) and Parvin Saket (winner of the Srinivas Rayaprol Poetry Prize and the Poetry Editor for The Bombay Literary Magazine). 

Some might know the Kolam Writers Workshop as the Dum Pukht Workshop. The facilitators changed the name in the year 2020 to ‘Kolam’ which is an ancient Tamil art form that more precisely captures the liminality of this brilliant space in Pondicherry. 

Location: Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu

Structure of the Residency: As we mentioned above, the Kolam Writers’ is a workshop much more than it is a literary residency. This means unlike Sangam House the writers do not have to drive their own writing schedules but rather can participate in the events conducted by different facilitators. Some notable faculty are Arundhati Subramaniam, Amit Chaudhari, Ravi Shankar, Zac O’Yeah, Anjum Hasan and many more. The fellows also get to interact with the Kolam Fellows who are well-published writers who are staying at the residency at the same time. 2023 hosted Sharanya Manivannan and Anubha Yadav.

Duration: 2-weeks

Timing: In 2023, the residential workshop was conducted between March 05 to March 19. 

Accommodation: The Adishakti Theatre Complex in Pondicherry hosts the residents for these two weeks. The rooms are double occupancy and there is a beautiful verandah space, garden space and lots and lots of trees. The property also has a swimming pool for people to refresh, relax and energize themselves. 

Charges: The charge for the 2-week residential workshop is INR 35000/- which includes lodging, food, snacks, coffee, workshop materials etc. The cost does not include travel or any expenses involved in reaching the destination.

There are also 2 fully funded positions available to those who cannot afford the costs of the workshop. These positions will be offered on the basis of merit. 

Application Requirements: In order to apply for this workshop they only require a writing sample. 

{If you are looking to improve your writing skills, check out these Top Writing Courses in India.}

3. Chair Poetry Evenings

The Chair Poetry Evenings is a new literary space in Kolkata, West Bengal. This literary residency hosts a poet in a flat in Kolkata. The residency is open to all – both Indian nationals and foreign residents. According the the residency website, this opportunity invites the poets to spend their time doing what they please, be it working on their manuscript, or chapbook or simply familiarising themselves with all that the vibrant and historical city of Kolkata has to offer. 

Kolkata is one of the places in India which has a deeply rich and powerful literary heritage and spending time in a literary residency here would be an experience of a lifetime. The poets will also get to interact with other artists and organizations in West Bengal. Chair Poetry Evenings also allow for the poets to present public readings in the city. 

The residency is only open to writers writing in the English language. 

Location: Kolkata, West Bengal

Structure of the Residency: This residency is self-driven. The writer gets to decide what they want to do with their time. The Chair Poetry will provide opportunities for the writer to present their work to the public.

Duration: Less than one month. 2-3 weeks.

Timing: There are two residency periods, November to December and the next one is January to February. 

Accommodation: The facilities for the poet-in-residence are plenty in this literary residency. The flat has a 2-bedroom hall and kitchen. AC is in both rooms, there is also a balcony for good ventilation and Wi-Fi for writers to do unobstructed work. The area also has many good restaurants and shops around.

Charges: The residency is free of cost. Travel arrangements need to be made by the poets themselves.

Application Requirements: The poet needs to submit their CV, a letter of intent explaining their inspirations and motivations for applying, a writing sample (10 pages) and a work proposal for the writing they plan to take on during the literary residency.

4. Villa Swagatam

The Villa Swagatam is a residency conglomerate if one can say so. It is a network of art, performing art and literary residencies that take place across India in different places for a period of at least one month. It allows French artists to take up work and space in India. 

The main purpose of this stronghold is to foster and underline the cultural value of Indo-French creative collaboration. It wants to bring about a deep exchange of culture and build a strong community between the two countries. 

The Villa Swagatam offers seven different residency options for French writers in India to take up space and inspiration and work on their manuscripts by absorbing themselves in a truly unique space. In coming years the French Institute also plans to offer residencies to Indian artists and writers in France. Some of the spaces that Villa Swagatham has collaborated with are Sangam House, Tara Books, MAD Salon+Lab, Vagamon Writers Residency and our very own The Himalayan Writing Retreat (THWR). 

Location: Multiple Locations (Uttrakhand, Bangalore, Vagamon etc.) 

Structure of the Residency: Self-driven and dependent on the host organizations for any specific additions to how the French residents will explore their time.

Duration: Depending on the host organization. For example, HWR offers 4 weeks while the Vagamon Writers Residency in Kerala offers 4-8 weeks of time for the writer or poet to work on their manuscripts.

Timing: Depending on the location and host organization. 

Accommodation: Depending on the location and host organization. 

Charges: All costs are covered by the Villa Swagatam including Economy flight tickets, Business Visa and basic living expenses during the time spent in the residency. 

Application Requirements: The Villa Swagatam usually expects the writers and poets to submit a CV, writing sample, and residency plans in order to make a decision. The evaluators look for a good literary track record with some publications. The work itself should have a relation to India or should show the need to be in India in order to do a particular work. For example, we at THWR are hosting Antoine Mouton who is working on a story about two people, who wake up at night to photograph the mountains.

5. Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council 

The Pro Helvetia is an organization of the Swiss Arts Council that promotes Swiss literary sensibilities by connecting the writers to certain spaces throughout Germany, France, Austria, Southeast Europe, the USA and India. Pro Helvetia collaborates with their partners based in the above-mentioned countries and sponsors (or partially sponsors), the stay of a writer writing upon issues and ideas relating to the Swiss culture in any way possible for a period of four to ten weeks.

Location: Multiple Locations, including Sangam House

Structure of the Residency: Self-driven.

Duration: 4-10 weeks, depending on the host organization

Timing: Depending on the host organization

Accommodation: Depending on the host organization

Charges: Mostly supported by the Swiss Arts Council but the writer/poet will have to arrange for the remaining funds by other means – private or public. 

Application Requirements: In their guidelines, they have provided three pre-requisites for obtaining this literacy residency: the writer/work should have a clear connection to Switzerland, second, the work must be of nationwide importance, and third the work should be co-funded by some other measures, be it private or public means.

6. Kalanirvana Writer-in-Residence

Kalanirvana is an art centre located in Bhubaneswar, which is in the Odisha state in Eastern India. They host a literary residency for writers and poets interested in spending three to four weeks in solitude in coastal Odisha. 

This literary residency is a part of the initiative of the US-India cultural exchange program and the Commonwealth Collective. Writers will be able to find the time and space needed for them to pursue their own literary initiatives in the Kalanirvana residential spaces. 

Perhaps interestingly, the program also shares dates with the Kalinga Lit Fest and the Bhubhaneshwar Book Festival. This offers the writers a unique chance to dip their minds into the rich literary history of Bhubaneshwar. The residency takes place two times a year – January and June. There is a small stipend provided by the art centre which reduces the lodging cost by half. 

Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Structure of the Residency: The residency is self-driven and the writer will get a lot of time to spend however they want. The organization asks for a 5000-word piece at the start of the residency which is workshopped with the help of the local writers’ group in the area. 

Duration: 3-4 weeks

Timing: 05-January to 27 January & 05 June to 27 June. The writer can extend the residency for one more week. 

Accommodation: There are many accommodation options. The writers can choose the room depending on their taste, choice and budget. There are options for single rooms and shared rooms too. You are free to bring a partner, friend or another artist with you during your stay at the Kalanirvana residency. 

Charges: The residency fee for 1 week is 400$, and the selected writer will be offered 50% fee support. So they only have to pay 200$. For 4 weeks, the total fee comes up to 600$ after the provided stipend.

The fee will not include travel and visa costs. It will include lodging, food, airport pick up and drop, workshops, city tours and internet. 

Application Requirements: A writing sample of 5000 words. 

{If you are looking for one-on-one guidance, check out this list of Top Writing Coaches and Writing Mentors}

7. Writer-in-Residence, Manipal University

Manipal University is located in the campus town of Manipal in Karnataka. The university hosts one or more writers in their academic year and the University Chair provides for all the costs associated with the travel, lodging and food of the writer as they situate themselves to work on their manuscript in solace. The writers are also provided with an honorarium and a proper office space separate from the lodging. 

It is to be noted that this program is invite-only and is conducted so as to give the writer the required recognition and also to expose their students and the local community to their works. 

Manipal has hosted some great writers like Perumal Murugan, Kiran Nagarkar, Easterine Kire, K.R. Meera and more. 

Location: Manipal University Campus, Manipal, Karnataka. 

Structure of the Residency: Self-driven with the occasional opportunity for the writer to interact with the students or general public.

Duration: NA

Timing: NA

Accommodation: In Manipal Campus. A stay option + a studio space for writing.

Charges: All charges are covered by Manipal University including travel and lodging.

Application Requirements: Invite-only

8. Helter Skelter Writing Residency

Helter Skelter is primarily a magazine that goes far beyond the scope of literature as they write and publish on all relevant to the culture and subculture. They publish short fiction and an anthology. 

They conduct a writing or literary residency for a week in Goa in order to offer a beautiful and creative space for writers or poets to leave their lives elsewhere and just focus on the task at hand or the manuscript they are working on. 

Currently, they are not taking in writers and applications are closed. We wrote to them to check up on when might they open up their space again. We will update this space as they respond. 

Location: Saligao, Goa

Structure of the Residency: Self-driven with mentor support for critiquing, editing and finishing. The last residency was conducted in 2021 where the writers were mentored by the Sahitya Akademi-winning author Janice Pariat, author of Everything The Light Touches, Boats on Land and more.

Duration: 1-week

Timing: 23 May – 30 May

Accommodation: The Bate-Papo offers a beautiful space which is sure to inspire any writer. It is a Portuguese bungalow with a beautiful design, comfortable bedding, cosy setup and lovely furniture. There is plenty of nature outside – patios, balconies and verandahs all offer lovely views. The rooms are double sharing. 

Charges: INR 36000/- for a week’s stay. The writer or poet will have to pay INR 16000/- as an advance before the start of the residency and can pay the remaining 20k by the end.

This fee covers all the charges, lodging, lunch, dinner and any materials required. It does not cover breakfast and travel to the place. 

Application Requirements: NA

{Brush up your knowledge of the different kinds of creative writing with our blogpost ‘17 Types of Creative Writing’}

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Conclusion:

India has always had brilliant writers, but it never had enough space to support them. The reasons are many – the global south, postcolonial poverty, and a culture so multicoloured that it fails to check the rigid boxes required for funding in arts and culture. But, there is hope, and the landscape is changing. 
So in this nascent stage writers themselves need to be as proactive as they can. Writers need to take space and we hope that this list helps you choose the right.