Literature Ireland and the Château de Lavigny seek applications from Irish writers for a residential bursary in Lavigny, Switzerland. This is a unique opportunity for an Irish writer to travel to Switzerland and live with four other writers in the International Writers’ Residence at the picturesque Château de Lavigny.
The Château de Lavigny International Writers’ Residence was founded by the late Jane Ledig-Rowohlt in memory of her husband, the renowned German publisher Heinrich Maria Ledig-Rowohlt (Rowohlt Verlag). Jane’s wish was to make their home a writers’ residence which would foster “a spirit of international community and creativity.” Since the establishment of the Heinrich Maria and Jane Ledig-Rowohlt Foundation in 1996, the Château de Lavigny has welcomed some 700 writers and literary translators.
The Irish residency will take place from 2 to 29 June 2026. The bursary will be awarded to a practising writer from the island of Ireland. Travel, living expenses and accommodation will be covered by Literature Ireland. The Château de Lavigny will coordinate the residency locally. The successful candidate will be asked to work on their current writing project, and to immerse themselves in the rich literary and cultural life of the Château. The residency will culminate in a public reading on 21 June.
This residency is suitable for an early/mid-career writer with an established publication record (minimum two books with national or international distribution). Eligible genres are literary fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and drama. Writers who are Irish or normally resident in Ireland are invited to apply.
Please note that the Château de Lavigny has limited accessibility.
Applications should include:
Send queries and applications to translate@literatureireland.com.
Applications should be submitted to this email address no later than 5.00 p.m. Irish time on Thursday 16 April 2026.
Posted to Opportunities for Writers on 30 Mar 2026.