Shetland Scriever
Shaetlan Scriever
A freelance residency opportunity based in Shetland troo da National Library o Scotland.
Owreview
Da role o da Scots Scriever - a joint initiative atween Creative Scotland an da National Library o Scotland (NLS) – haes been based on mainland Scotland fir da hidmaest twa year. Da project wid noo laek tae geen as far nort as it can, an appoint da first 'Shaetlan Scriever'. Da aims o da project bide da sam: tae support da creation o original writin, an da promotion o da local language in dat pairt o Scotland troo creative forms.
Da primary aim o dis twal-mont residency is da creation o excitin original wark in Shaetlan bi an aerly tae mid-career creative practitioner based in Shetland or able tae spend substantial periods o time dere, wi strang local connections. If currently bydin outside o Shetland, it is expectit dat da successful candidate will self-fund ony extended time bydin in da isles.
While some in-person community engagement will be encouraged, da Scriever will be expected tae prioritise an set aside a significant amoont o time durin da residency fir da development o new written wark. We anticipate dis bein a 30/70% split atween engagement an writin time. Dis will include time fir exploration o, an engagement wi, da rich an extensive Scots language collections in da National Library o Scotland – seekin oot da particular items ithin da collection whaar Shetland is mentioned, an ony Shaetlan is used.
Tae support dis, da Library will facilitate access tae wir staff fir individual guidance an assistance, whaar necessary, wi accessin an researchin da collections. Hit’s expected dat da applicant might hae ta manage da appointment alangside idder wark or freelance commitments, so applicants will hae flexibility as tae hoo dey manage dir time, an exactly hoo muckle time dey intend tae spend physically ida Library. Dis aspect can be discussed mair at da interview stage.
Bi prior arrangement wi NLS, traivel an accommodation costs atween Shetland an Edinburgh or Glasgow will be maed available tae enable da successful candidate tae mak occasional visits tae da Library in Edinburgh or da Moving Image Archive in Glasgow.
While dir will be an expectation tae be able tae manage yir ain diary an schedule, da Library will provide some administrative support. Da successful candidate will be invited tae attend an orientation session tae meet staff an receive guidance in gittin started wi collection research. Dey will also meet Public Programmes staff tae discuss opportunities fir supportin da Scriever's programme o wark – in particular, a public talk or related event dat we can hadd in da Library tawards da end o da residency tae clew up da project.
Da purpose o da Scriever residency is:
Tae produce original, creative written wark in Shaetlan in ony genre or discipline owre da tenure.
Tae promote Shaetlan in general tae Shetland communities troo da applicant's creative practice an output, as weel as tae da rest o Scotland troo a variety o platforms e.g. social media, an at laest twa public events.
Tae contribute tae raisin da profile, understandin an appreciation o creative wark in Shaetlan, as weel as Scots language in general, includin da material we hadd ithin wir collections at da National Library.
Applications ir encouraged fae a broad range o creative practitioners – da residency is oppen tae onyeen wha is producin written wark in ony creative discipline. Dis might include fiction, non-fiction, poetry or sangwritin.
Da role
Fixed term residency fir twal mont (wi approximate engagement equivalent o wan day a week per mont owre da year).
Da fee fir da residency is £15,000 per annum paid monthly in arrears upon submission o an invoice an report o monthly activity in da amoont o £1,250 alangside some traivel costs tae/fae Edinburgh or Glasgow bi prior agreement wi NLS. Please nott dat da fundeen doesna cover lang spell bydin ithin Shetland if no aaready bydin dere.
A requirement tae produce creative wark written in Shaetlan owre da term o da appointment. We lippen dis wark tae be connected tae da existin creative practice o da successful applicant.
Delivery o at laest twa public events: een in Shetland, an een at da National Library o Scotland premises.
Dedicated time fir da Scriever tae directly engage an interpret creatively aspects o da vast archive o Scots language content hosted ithin da National Library o Scotland, baith contemporary an historical. We wid laek da Shaetlan Scriever tae complement da wark dat da Library is done owre da years tae mak wir Scots language collection mair accessible an visible tae da public, an we ir keen fir new Shaetlan wark tae be represented.
Engagement owre social media, video an idder digital platforms as pairt o da appointment makkin Shaetlan available tae be read as weel as heard.
Da person
Evidence o established creative practice an da ability tae develop new Shaetlan writin.
An interest in, an ability tae respond creatively tae primary source material fae archival collections such as dat fae da National Library o Scotland or local libraries an archives.
Experience o public engagement an events ithin a range o settins an communities. Dis may include schules an idder creative lairnin settins.
Flexibility an da ability tae independently manage diary commitments an tae prioritise time appropriately.
Experience o promotin Shaetlan in a variety o different settings, includin da use o digital platforms; da ability tae communicate an promote creative wark produced troo dis residency an deliver a minimum o twa community outreach activities.
Da above criteria will be used tae shortlist candidates wha will den be invited tae interview.
Application
Application deadline is midday on Friday 12 June. Please submit da followin documents bi email onnly (nae hard copies) as Word or PDF files onnly (nae HTML. .ODT, Mac-onnly or idder file formats):
Letter o application ootlinin yir vision fir da residency.
A wan-page statement settin oot hoo it is you meet da requirements o da person role abun.
At laest twa examples o creative wark in Shaetlan; alang wi yir application we wid encourage you tae submit a short audio or video (1 meenit max) o you readin yir wark. Submit yir video or audio file onnly via WeTransfer tae da email address doon below.
Evidence o public engagement activity.
Twa references.
Email yir documents tae Scriever@nls.uk. Aa applicants will receive an acknowledgement o dir application. If you hae ony queries aboot da requirements or hivna received confirmation o yir submission ithin twinty-fower oor, please contact us at da address abun.
Assessment
Da Scriever will be selected via a shortlistin an interview process involvin representatives fae Creative Scotland, da National Library o Scotland an a Shaetlan language consultant.
Short-listed applicants invited fir interview will be contacted by Thursday 25 June an interviews will tak plaece via via MS Teams on Monday 29th June. Da appointment will den be agreed apon an announced da week o 6 July.
Please nott dat da successful candidate will be subject tae Basic Disclosure Scotland security clearance.
Shetland Scriever
A freelance residency opportunity based in Shetland through the National Library of Scotland.
Overview
The role of the Scots Scriever - a joint initiative between Creative Scotland and the National Library of Scotland (NLS) – has been based on mainland Scotland for the last two years. The project would now like to go as far north as it can and appoint the first 'Shaetlan Scriever'. The aims of the project stay the same: to support the creation of original writing, and the promotion of Scots language in creative forms.
The primary aim of this 12-month residency is the creation of exciting original work in Shaetlan by an early to mid-career creative practitioner based in Shetland or able to spend substantial periods of time there, with strong local connections. If resident outside of Shetland, it is expected the successful candidate will self-fund any extended stays there.
While some in-person community engagement will be encouraged, the Scriever will be expected to prioritise and set aside a significant amount of time during the residency for the development of new written work. We anticipate this being a 30/70% split between engagement and writing time. This will include time for exploration of, and engagement with, the rich and extensive Scots language collections in the National Library of Scotland – seeking out the particular items in the collection where Shetland is mentioned, and any Shaetlan is used.
To support this, the Library will facilitate access to our staff for individual guidance and assistance, where necessary, with accessing and researching the collections. It's expected that the applicant might have to manage the appointment alongside other work or freelance commitments, so applicants will have flexibility as to how they manage their time and exactly how much time they intend to spend physically in the Library. This aspect can be discussed more at the interview stage.
By prior arrangement with NLS, travel costs will be made available to enable the successful candidate to make occasional visits to the Library in Edinburgh or the Moving Image Archive in Glasgow.
While there will be an expectation to be able to manage your own diary and schedule, the Library will provide some administrative support. The successful candidate will be invited to attend an orientation session to meet staff and receive guidance in getting started with collection research. They will also meet Public Programmes staff to discuss opportunities for supporting the Scriever's programme of work – in particular, a public talk or related event that we can hold in the Library towards the end of the residency to finish off the project.
The purpose of the Scriever residency is:
To produce original, creative written work in Shaetlan in any genre or discipline over the tenure.
To promote Shaetlan in general to Shetland communities through the applicant's creative practice and output, as well as to the rest of Scotland through a variety of platforms e.g. social media, and at least two public events.
To contribute to raising the profile, understanding and appreciation of creative work in Shaetlan, as well as Scots language in general, including the material we hold in our collections at the National Library.
Applications are encouraged from a broad range of creative practitioners – the residency is open to anyone who is producing written work in any creative discipline. This might include fiction, non-fiction, poetry or songwriting.
The role
Fixed term residency for 12 months (with approximate engagement equivalent of one day a week per month over the year).
The fee for the residency is £15,000 per annum paid monthly in arrears upon submission of and invoice and report of monthly activity in the amount of £1,250 alongside some travel costs to/from Edinburgh or Glasgow by prior agreement with NLS. Please note funding does not cover long stays in Shetland.
A requirement to produce creative work written in Shaetlan over the term of the appointment. We expect this work to be connected to the existing creative practice of the successful applicant.
Delivery of at least two public events: one in Shetland, and one at the National Library of Scotland premises.
Dedicated time for the Scriever to directly engage and interpret creatively aspects of the vast archive of Scots language content hosted within the National Library of Scotland, both contemporary and historical. We would like the Shaetlan Scriever to complement the work which the Library has undertaken over the years to make our Scots language collection more accessible and visible to the public, and are keen for new Shaetlan work to be represented.
Engagement over social media, videos and other digital platforms as part of the appointment making Shaetlan available to be read as well as heard.
The person
Evidence of established creative practice and the ability to develop new Shaetlan writing.
An interest in, and ability to respond creatively to primary source material from archival collections such as that from the National Library of Scotland or local libraries and archives.
Experience of public engagement and events in a range of settings and communities. This may include schools and other creative learning settings.
Flexibility and the ability to independently manage diary commitments and to prioritise time appropriately.
Experience of promoting Shaetlan in a variety of different settings, including the use of digital platforms; the ability to communicate and promote creative work produced through this residency and deliver a minimum of two community outreach activities.
The above criteria will be used to shortlist candidates who will then be invited to interview.
Application
Application deadline is midday on Friday 12 June. Please submit the following documents by email only (nae hard copies) as Word or PDF files only (no HTML. .ODT, Mac-only or other file formats):
Letter of application outlining your vision for the residency.
A one-page statement setting out how it is you meet the requirements of the person role above.
At least two examples of creative work in Shaetlan; along with your application we would encourage you to submit a short audio or video (1 minute max ) of you reading a short piece of your work. Submit your video or audio file only via WeTransfer to the email address below.
Evidence of public engagement activity.
Two references.
Email your documents Scriever@nls.uk. All applicants will receive an acknowledgement of their application. If you have any queries about the requirements or haven't received confirmation of your submission within 24 hours, please contact us at the email above.
Assessment
The Scriever will be selected via a shortlisting and interview process involving representatives from Creative Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and a Shaetlan language consultant.
Short-listed applicants invited for interview will be contacted by Thursday 25 June and interviews will take place via MS Teams on Monday 29 June. Please note the interview date is fixed. The appointment will then be agreed upon and announced the week of 6 July.
The successful candidate will be subject to Basic Disclosure Scotland security clearance.
