❋

Beningbrough Writer in Residency Commission

the commission


The final product of the commission will be a minimum output of 4-6 poems or pieces of prose.  

The final outcome will include a minimum of two engagement days at Beningbrough. For example, giving a lunch time talk about your experience, providing poetry prompts for visitors to engage with, facilitating a workshop or social etc.  

These engagement days can be built around the writer’s strengths, ideas, and whatever is most relevant to their part in the exhibition.

Beningbrough Hall is hosting an Exhibition of Nancy Cadogan’s artwork. They are looking for a writer who is creating work that connects to the landscape of Beningbrough, to be a writer in residence at Beningbrough Hall during this exhibition! 

This commission is connected to The National Trust’s commitment to inspire creativity in other people, restore nature, and broaden access and inclusion. 

What to Expect

Read on to see what the commission involves

The time commitment

This is for a 3-4 maximum month residency - open to the writer how that is split up and allocated within the time frame.

The exact time frame is still being worked out but there is an option for work to start in the summer (July) or to start in September.

The exhibition runs from October 2026-April 2027.

No set amount of days/time that the writer would have to be at Beningbrough / working with Nancy. This will be very much about what works for the writer and what works for Nancy.

The Fee

The fee is £2000

The fee will be in staged payments instead of one lump sum all at once.

Application process

Deadline: The Application will be due early April. (More specific dates and information will be provided after the workshop). 

The application process is still being put together, but so you have an idea of what to expect, the application will include these elements:

Applicants will submit: 

  • Two  pieces of writing to demonstrate the quality of your work (can be poetry or prose). 

    • At least one of these pieces should be landscape/nature related and should be inspired by the February 9th Beningbrough retreat day. 

    • One piece does not have to be landscape/nature related (although it can be). 

    • The details are still being finalised but the the total length of these submissions (not each) will be around: 

      • Prose: Maximum 500 words  

      • Poetry: Maximum two pages total (12 pt font) or 400 words. 

  • You will also be asked how you, if chosen for the writing residency, would present/display the final product of  your residency (poetry or prose pieces) as a part of Nancy’s exhibition. 

    • Within the exhibition there will be a room as a dedicated writing space to feature some of the poems. Your poetry/prose could be on its own or alongside the paintings, or as audio files for people to listen to etc. This is a writing commission but with an additional creative, presentational component.

    • This bit is secondary, as the most important part of the application is the quality of the work.  

    • However, it will count in your favour if you have an understanding of how you might present your work in a creative and engaging way.

Only participants who attended the February 9th retreat will be able to apply. 

  • 3-4 applicants will be short-listed and interviewed to see if they will be a good fit when it comes to working with Nancy.

  • The National trust will have a team who is deciding who is short-listed. 

  • Once applicants are short-listed, Nancy will have a lot of input as well.

Apply now