2025 Edition

1. AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE CALL

The Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB) has established the general regulations for international writing residencies in Barcelona at Vil-la Joana, approved by Resolution of the ICUB Management on 4 November 2004 (BOP 6/11/24), which every year gives a specific number of writers and literary translators the chance to develop a project there which has some link with the city of Barcelona. The number of writers and translators as well as the length of their stays will be specified in each call. These residencies are open to writers from outside Catalonia of any nationality and in any language, with a fiction (poetry, narrative, drama or audiovisual script) or non-fiction (essay, chronicle) writing project, as well as literary translators with a translation project in any of the aforementioned genres. In all cases, the project must be related to the city of Barcelona in some way. Doctoral theses, research projects and projects submitted towards a degree or diploma are not accepted.

In 2025, the residencies will be repeated eight times, with up to three writers each time.

2. BENEFICIARIES

Authors of literary works in the genres of narrative, poetry, journalism, drama or audiovisual script or comic, as well as literary translators, who have at least one work published under their name, with the corresponding ISBN or a work or script that has been premièred, are eligible. Translations and articles published in the press are not deemed to fulfil the “own publication” requirement.

The selection process is open to writers and translators over the age of 18.

3. LEGAL SYSTEM

This call is regulated by the terms and conditions for the Barcelona Vil·la Joana Writing Residencies, approved in the ICUB Management Resolution of 4 November 2024 (BOP 6/11/24).

4. PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS AND CALENDAR

The Barcelona Vil·la Joana Writing Residency programme offers those selected accommodation and an individual workspace with an internet connection, as well as a kitchen and communal spaces shared with the other two resident writers. There is also a laundry and cleaning service for the rooms plus a washing machine and dryer. In addition, the organisers will agree an agenda of activities and meetings to put the residents in touch with Barcelona’s literary network, as well as members of the general public interested in literature. The programme does not include travel expenses, travel to the residence, travel insurance or living expenses (food, transport and other daily expenses).

The Barcelona International Writing Residencies head office is at the Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA) Vil·la Joana at Ctra Església, 104, in a natural setting at the heart of Collserola Nature Park, just 30 minutes from the city centre by public transport. Next to it is the masia, an old farmhouse that has been turned into a literary house-museum dedicated to Jacint Verdaquer and his time, as it was the poet’s last home.

In 2025, the Vil·la Joana International Writing Residencies will consist of the following eight three-week periods:

• 15 April - 5 May
• 6 - 26 May
• 27 May - 16 June
• 17 June - 7 July
• 8 - 28 July
• 29 July - 25 August
• 9 - 29 September
• 30 September - 20 October

5. MAKE-UP OF THE ASSESSMENT PANEL

The Assessment Panel will comprise three experts from the literary sector, plus a representative of the Barcelona Institute of Culture with the right to speak but not vote.

The names of the expert panel members for the 2025 Vil·la Joana Residencies will be announced before the call is resolved.

The residencies will be awarded by resolution of the ICUB Management approving the assessment report of the Selection Committee, and this will be final, without prejudice to any legal recourse that may be appropriate.

The Committee will make its assessment in accordance with the generic criteria set out in the general terms and conditions, as well as the specific ones for each call, where applicable:

– Professional background of the applicant outlined in their artistic biography. The assessment will take into account the number of published works, as well as any prizes or awards received, and their link with the city of Barcelona.

– Literary assessment of the project in terms of its aesthetic appeal, originality or other characteristic features that contribute to its literary quality.

– The project and/or the writer’s link with the city of Barcelona. The proposal’s suitability in terms of the Barcelona City of Literature Office’s fundamental lines of work, namely, dissemination of the city’s literary heritage and the narrative, essayistic or poetic construction of Barcelona’s spaces. Writing projects that treat Barcelona as a narrative or poetic space, or an object of essayistic analysis or reasoning will be favourably assessed.

The selection will be made by majority vote and minutes will be taken of the sessions that were necessary to adopt the resolution.

The Selection Committee’s decisions are final, without prejudice to the possibility of filing the appropriate administrative appeals against the resolution approving the residencies, which will be published in the Province Gazette (BOP).

7. APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Interested parties must submit an application via the Barcelona, UNESCO City of Literature website (https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/ciutatdelaliteratura). The application form must include information regarding the applicant's artistic biography, as well as documentation certifying they have an original published work stating the author, title, publisher, year of publication and ISBN.

In addition, the following documents must be attached:

– Photocopy of DNI/NIE/passport

– Excerpt of the piece you will be working on during the residency (5-10 pages of 2,100 characters).

The application submission period will run from the day after this call is published in the Official Province Gazette (BOP) to 10 January 2025 and you must use this form. The documents may be submitted in Catalan, Spanish or English.

8. BENEFICIARIES’ RIGHTS AND DUTIES

Beneficiaries must respect the Vil·la Joana Residency rules and regulations, and, as centre users, must sign the conditions of use and certify that they have national or community public health coverage, or private health coverage if they do not have coverage under any of the previous regimes, as a prerequisite for access to the residency.

Likewise, beneficiaries will take part in the literary activities proposed by the organisers and jointly agreed, and they must use the residence for the purpose for which the residency has been granted.

By submitting an application, applicants indicate that they accept the terms and conditions established therein and provide consent for the author’s name to be published if selected. The winning authors will own the copyright for the project they have developed during their stay.

Beneficiaries must submit a report on the writing project they have carried out at the end of the residency period. If the work is published, the author must state in the acknowledgements “This work was written during a Writing Residency at Vil·la Joana (Barcelona), granted by Barcelona City of Literature – Institute of Culture – Barcelona City Council”.

In accordance with data protection legislation, specifically Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the Parliament and the Council, of 27 April 2016, and Framework Act 3/2018, of 5 December, on Personal Data Protection and guaranteeing digital rights, residency beneficiaries, as well as Residency Selection Committee members, shall expressly authorise the Barcelona Institute of Culture to process the data provided at the time of registration number 0298, which is intended for the management of awards, competitions and promotions promoted or sponsored by Barcelona City Council.

Selection Committee

You can consult the data protection policy, holders’ rights and information about processing at www.bcn.cat/ajuntament/protecciodades.

This call, as well as the final resolution, will be published in the Barcelona Province Official Gazette (BOPB), as well as on the Barcelona City of Literature website.