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Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) has opened the submission cycle for its annual Art Omi Writers Residency. Organized in partnership with the esteemed educational center Art Omi, both organizations will select an aspiring Arab writer and guide them through a once in a lifetime opportunity to hone their craft among other educators and peers from the publishing industry in a fully immersive environment. The successful candidate will attend the Art Omi Writers Residency in Ghent, New York, for a month-long program.
“The HBKU Press and Art Omi partnership is a wonderful opportunity to expand our professional network and global presence with another entity whose vision for literary development aligns with ours. We have enjoyed working with Art Omi year after year, and look forward to reconvening once more to identify another promising writer and help them realize their literary aspirations,” said Bachar Chebaro, Executive Director of HBKU Press. “More than a publisher of books, HBKU Press strives to empower talents and help them achieve their utmost potential as writers. Our ongoing collaboration with Art Omi is a proud testament to our commitment regarding the Qatari and larger Arab literary communities, and our confident belief in their abilities and potential.”
Eligible Arab candidates are encouraged to apply from anywhere in the world, provided they have at least an intermediate grasp of English, as the residency will be conducted in this language. Writers may nevertheless develop their individual work in Arabic if preferred. The program simultaneously presents a cross-cultural exchange opportunity for writers, as talents will convene from around the world to take part in this retreat. Writers will also be able to engage and connect with literary community members, including publishers, editors, and industry professionals.
"Supporting literature from various languages and cultural contexts is central to Art Omi's mandate. It is our goal to build an international community of writers who support each other and have their own worldview expanded by the esteemed colleagues with whom they meet at Art Omi. We're thrilled to be working with HBKU Press to help us identify a writer who can be a part of this experience," said DW Gibson, Residency Program Director at Art Omi.
For more information and details on residency, please visit hbkupress.com. The deadline for submissions is February 17, 2024, and all candidates must submit a complete application in order to qualify for consideration.