Writers’ Residency

In July 2026, Tambapanni Academic Publishers, Colombo in collaboration with the Max Weber Forum, New Delhi is hosting a writers’ residency, History and Fiction, History as Fiction, on Sri Lanka’s western Indian Ocean coast. The residency will bring together ten writers from a range of disciplines and fields, creative and academic, to discover new ways of writing about their chosen topics, through workshops, mentored sessions, critique and dialogue. The aim is to explore how writing about the past can be made accessible and engage a wide readership, specialist, lay and the curious. A space of cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary conversations, the residency intends to stimulate and encourage discussion and dialogue between the participants and the mentors.

The residency, from 9-15 July 2026, will feature invited speakers as well as the writing and workshop sessions, individual mentoring and time to work on projects. Please see the project page for details of eligibility and how to apply.

The Indian Ocean Writers’ Residency, 9-15 July 2026, invites applications from writers in any discipline, academic and creative, who wish to work on a project based on writing that involves or relates to history and conveying it to a wide audience. Led by Amal Chatterjee, writing tutor at the University of Oxford, it will involve ten writers working on topics of their own choice, through workshops, mentored sessions, critique and dialogue with each other.

Eligibility: Writers, creative and academic, with and without previous publication, are invited to apply. People keen to work on their first major writing project will be given more consideration.

What is included:

  • Accommodation (single room) and half-board (Breakfast, lunch, tea) at Villa Bentota for 6 nights
  • A guided visit to Lunuganga Estate on Day 3

What is not included

  • Travel to and from to the venue
  • Medical and insurance coverage

Selected candidates will have to pay a registration fee of 1000 USD (SLRs 300 000). Please indicate if you wish to be considered for a partial or full scholarship. If so, please provide acceptable evidence of financial background.

For further details, and to discuss possible projects and eligibility, you may write to Amal Chatterjee at: tapresidency@tambapannipublishers.lk

APPLICATION PROCESS

Your  application will consist of 3 components which should be sent to us by email in one single document (in Word or PDF format) saved under your name. Please follow instructions!

  1. Applicant

Name:

Affiliation:

Email:

  1. 350 – 500 word description of your project, which could be in progress or to be begun. The description should outline the project, how it involves history, who the audience might be, and provide evidence of ability and commitment to carry it through to completion within 3 months of the Residency, which will include material or a chapter for the Journal of the Indian Ocean Residency 2026, that will be published in January/February 2027.
  2. a detailed CV and description of previous experience, particularly of writing and publication (if any, previous publication is not a requirement), in the form of a statement or a biography no longer than two pages.

Please also supply the names and contact details (email and telephone) of two unrelated referees familiar with your writing.

Selection will be by a committee consisting of organisers and mentors and will be confidential and final.