Due to the success of this partnership over the previous years, Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press and Art Omi are continuing their collaboration to sponsor one aspiring Arabic writer to participate in the HBKU Press & Art Omi: 2023 Writer’s Residency held in Ghent, New York.

The chosen writer will attend the month-long retreat for the opportunity to take time and space away from the daily pressures to write and create at the Art Omi residences.

Amidst the backdrop of 300 acres of rolling farmland with spectacular views of the Catskills and Hudson River Valley, they will connect with other literary talents from all over the world as well as international editors, publishers, and industry professionals.

Safety remains a top concern and the program and Art Omi campus have been modified in light of international Covid-19 guidelines.

General Information

• This opportunity is open to all fiction and non-fiction writers, though preference is given to mid-career writers. This opportunity is not a research grant and those pursuing scholarly research writing need not apply.
• Applicants must have an intermediate grasp of the English language as the residency and its workshops are all in English.
• Application, Statement of Purpose, and CV must be submitted in English; Creative Writing Sample can be in either English Arabic.
• Applicants must agree to all terms and conditions outlined before submission.
• Only completed applications submitted through the form below on or before April 1st, 2023 will be considered.
• The three finalists will be contacted on 2023, and the chosen winner will be contacted by April 20, 2023. Only shortlisted individuals will be contacted directly – any applicants who are not chosen for participation will not be contacted.
• The residency will take place during one of Art Omi’s two fall sessions: either September 1-29 or October 6-November 3. Art Omi will reserve a spot in each cohort so that the selected HBKU resident can choose their preferred session.

Submission Guidelines  

• Statement of Purpose must be written in English and be between 500 words (minimum) and 1000 words (maximum).
• Creative Writing Sample may be written in either English or Arabic, and must be between 2,500 words (minimum) and 5,000 words (maximum).

For more information and to apply, click here.

The deadline for applications is April 1st, 2023. Good luck!