The Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship for professional writers is now open for applications.

Writers based in Scotland are encouraged to apply, and the Fellowship awards successful applicants with a retreat to Grez-sur-Loing in France, a village that Robert Louis Stevenson himself visited frequently.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:

“This is a wonderful opportunity for established writers to gain some time away in a beautiful location to focus on their writing. The roll call of Fellows is a prestigious list and shows the variety of work we have supported. We hope many more Scotland-based writers will apply for the chance to write at this iconic and inspirational place, which had such an impact on Robert Louis Stevenson’s own life.”

The Fellowship was initiated in 1994 by Franki Fewkes, a Scottish RLS enthusiast then living in France, and is supported by Creative Scotland. It provides residencies for four fellows for one month each, in a self-catering studio apartment at the Hôtel Chevillon International Arts Centre at Grez-sur-Loing. Travel and accommodation are paid for, and there is a grant of £300 per week to cover living expenses.

Grez-sur-Loing is situated at the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, France, and was first visited by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1875. He also met his future wife, Fanny Osbourne, at the HôtelChevillon. Grez-sur-Loing was attractive to Stevenson due to its well-established community of writers and artists, and he spent three happy summers there.

Robert Louis Stevenson by Henry Walter Barrnet

How to Apply

For details of how to apply for the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship, and for full eligibility criteria, please visit

https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/robert-louis-stevenson-fellowship.

The closing date for Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship 2020 applications is Wednesday 29 January 2020 (noon).