The Writing Platform is pleased to announce the first beneficiaries of its bursary scheme awarding two writer-technologist partnerships with £3000 each.

The Bursaries have been awarded to Caden Lovelace @neoeno & Laura Grace @usherette and Ben Gwalchmai @BenGwalchmai & James Wheale @JamesWheale, both partnerships will work on a jointly conceived digital literature project for three months (from 1^st April – 30^th June 2013). At the end of this time they will present a piece of work or a prototype at Bath Spa’s Mix Day on 17th July and the work will be showcased on both The Writing Platform and The Literary Platform.

Established to support creative experimentation and interdisciplinary learning between writers and technologists, The Writing Platform Bursaries, supported by the NALD Futures Fund are awarded to writers and creative technologists who the judges believe will bring new ideas and solutions for the wider writing community while making creative use of existing, readily available, digital tools and platforms.

The Writing Platform Bursary launched in February 2013, receiving 77 entries across the board. The Bursary is supported by the NALD Futures Fund and the judging panel was Kate Pullinger, Editor of The Writing Platform and Professor of Creative Writing & Digital Media at Bath Spa University; Joanna Ellis, Associate Director, The Literary Platform and Leila Johnston, creative technologist and Managing Editor of The Literary Platform.

For more information about the winners and their projects see the full press release.

The Writing Platform Bursary, supported by the NALD Futures Fund, is designed to support inter-disciplinary learning and collaboration between writers and technologists.

The fund will support two one-off bursaries of £3000. Each bursary will be allocated to a project team, consisting of one writer and one technologist, who will work on a jointly-conceived digital literature project for a period of three months.

What we are looking for:

Projects that explore an issue that is relevant to the wider writing community. These might include, but are in no way confined to: new creative forms, methods of disseminating work, ways of engaging audience.

Ideas that make creative use of existing, readily available, digital tools and platforms to achieve their aims.

What we expect of bursary recipients:

At the end of the project each team will supply a piece of work or a prototype, along with a case study about their project and the experience of working together. Case studies will be published on The Writing Platform and The Literary Platform for the benefit of the wider writing and technology communities. The case studies may also be showcased at Writing Platform live events.

Projects will run for the three months from 1st April to 30th June 2013. Anyone applying for a bursary must be able to commit time to the project during this period.

The purpose of this bursary is to support inter-disciplinary learning and collaboration and so, naturally, we expect those participating in the projects to engage with one another in an open and supportive manner.

Eligibility criteria:

Only those resident in the UK are eligible to apply.

Writers are eligible if they can demonstrate that they are currently active and a desire to develop their practice in new ways.

We welcome applications from writers irrespective of whether they are traditionally published, self-published or unpublished.

Technologists are eligible if they can demonstrate an active interest in arts/ technology cross-over in their work to date.

Application process:

The deadline for applications midday on Tuesday 12th March 2013.

Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 25th March 2013.

Writers and technologists may apply individually or in ready-made pairs.

Ready-made pairs must consist of one writer and one technologist. The writer must meet the eligibility criteria for writers, the technologist must meet the eligibility criteria for technologists, outlined above.

If you are applying as an individual writer, you will find the form here.

If you are applying as an individual technologist, you will find the form here.

If you are applying as a writer/ technologist team, you will find the form here.

Selection and pairing process:

The bursaries will be awarded by a selection panel consisting of:

Kate Pullinger, writer, Professor of Creative Writing and Digital Media at Bath Spa University, editor of The Writing Platform; Leila Johnston, creative technologist, journalist and maker; and Joanna Ellis, Associate Director at The Literary Platform.

Successful individual applicants will be paired by the selection committee according to common interests.

The decision of the selection panel is final.

If you have any questions about the bursary email hello(at)thewritingplatform(dot)com with the word ‘bursary’ in the subject field.

Good luck!