Currently 12 active writing and translation grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in the EU. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
Subscribe: RSS feed · Calendar (.ics)
European Lab and the Sphera Network are opening submissions for the discourse programme of the next Sphera Media Lab, the annual forum for people defending independent media in Europe. THEMES: technological independence (sovereignty, tools, mutualisation); economic independence (cooperative models); editorial independence (press freedom, resisting the far right). FORMATS SOUGHT: masterclasses, led by an expert sharing advanced knowledge, technique and hands-on insight; and keynotes, inspiring talks grounded in a specific case study. WHO CAN PROPOSE: media outlets, associations, researchers and professionals. The organisers state they pay particular attention to parity and diversity across their programmes and ask that proposals take those criteria into account. WHAT IS COVERED: selected contributors travel to Brussels with transport, accommodation and a fee covered. THE EVENT: Sphera Media Lab 2026 runs on 3 December 2026 at LaVallee in Brussels, a full day of conferences, masterclasses and workshops for independent media professionals from across Europe, alongside the premiere of a documentary on threats facing European journalists. APPLICATION: submit your masterclass or keynote proposal via the Typeform at arty-farty.typeform.com/to/xnDikGGM before 31 August 2026.
Residency for writers and translators at the Jan Michalski Foundation in Montricher, Switzerland, set in seven distinctive 'cabin' modules hanging from an openwork canopy, offering conditions to start, continue or finish a writing project. Around forty authors from around the world (emerging to established) are hosted each year. Open to all kinds of writing and all languages, with priority given to literary writers and translators; other disciplines are welcome as long as literature is at the heart of the project. Residencies are for individuals or pairs working on a common project (e.g. a writer and a translator). A percentage of residencies are dedicated to nature writing. WHAT IS PROVIDED: a private cabin for independent living (a separate cabin per person for pairs; one accessible cabin for reduced mobility), travel costs to and from home, a weekly allowance of CHF 400, breakfast and lunch, electric bikes, and daytime library access. ELIGIBILITY: no age or nationality restrictions; beginners accepted; one application per year; former residents may not reapply (families, children and pets cannot be accommodated). Stays cannot be split into multiple periods. Selection is by a panel chaired by Vera Michalski-Hoffmann, assessing the literary quality of the project, the candidate's background, and whether the stay length matches the project scope. APPLICATION: online in English or French (work excerpts may be in any language); the 2027 form is open 2 June to 31 August 2026; selected candidates announced December 2026.
Pro Helvetia's comic creation grant supports the development of comic projects intended for publication, including digital formats. Applicants must have published at least one independent work with a professional publisher or the equivalent in magazines. ELIGIBILITY: requires a connection to Switzerland (Swiss citizenship, or permanent residency with regular artistic activity in Switzerland); not open to practitioners without a Swiss connection. AMOUNT: maximum CHF 25,000. Submission deadline 1 September (23:59 CEST). Apply via the Pro Helvetia portal.
Frankfurter Seilschaften is a Pro Helvetia mentoring initiative pairing emerging Swiss literary practitioners with established authors during the Frankfurt Book Fair. To be eligible as an emerging author, applicants must have completed their artistic training or presented their work publicly for the first time within the last five years; the call also includes professional writers who identify as FINTA. ELIGIBILITY: requires a connection to Switzerland (Swiss citizenship, or permanent residency with regular artistic activity in Switzerland); not open to practitioners without a Swiss connection. WHAT IS OFFERED: hotel and travel expenses, per diems, and trade fair passes. Submission deadline 1 September (23:59 CEST). Apply via the Pro Helvetia portal.
Pro Helvetia's literary creation grant supports the development of literary projects intended for publication, including fiction, children's and youth literature, poetry, drama, and spoken word. Applicants must have prior published work, a premiere, or professional performances. ELIGIBILITY: requires a connection to Switzerland (Swiss citizenship, or permanent residency with regular artistic activity in Switzerland); not open to practitioners without a Swiss connection. AMOUNT: up to CHF 25,000 for writing, CHF 18,000 for theatre texts, or CHF 15,000 for performative literary projects. Deadlines twice a year: 1 March (23:59 CET) and 1 September (23:59 CEST). Apply via the Pro Helvetia portal.
Pro Helvetia's Writing in Residency programme provides residency opportunities (for example Traduki in Southeast Europe or Art Omi) for authors and translators to develop or research projects. Applicants must have prior professionally published work. ELIGIBILITY: requires a connection to Switzerland (Swiss citizenship, or permanent residency with regular artistic activity in Switzerland); not open to practitioners without a Swiss connection. WHAT IS OFFERED: travel and accommodation costs (varying by destination), plus childcare support of up to CHF 1,000 per month for applicants with caregiving responsibilities. Submission deadline 1 September (23:59 CEST). Apply via the Pro Helvetia portal.
Pro Helvetia's international promotion grant (Switzerland-based institutions variant) funds the international promotion of contemporary Swiss literature through book fairs, group publisher appearances, and literary festivals. Open to event organizers, publishing houses, professional associations, and digital platforms based in Switzerland with regular artistic activity there. ELIGIBILITY: requires a connection to Switzerland (Swiss citizenship, or permanent residency with regular artistic activity in Switzerland); not open to practitioners without a Swiss connection. AMOUNT: maximum CHF 25,000. Deadlines twice a year: 1 March (23:59 CET) and 1 September (23:59 CEST). Apply via the Pro Helvetia portal.
The Dossiersubsidie is the Fonds BJP scheme for freelance regional and local journalists in the Netherlands who want to follow one subject properly rather than chase daily news, funding up to EUR 19,200 for six months of sustained reporting on a single dossier. It is aimed at the gap left by shrinking regional newsrooms, where structural coverage of local government, housing, care or industry rarely gets paid time. ELIGIBILITY: freelance journalists working in Dutch regional and local media only (staff journalists and national-only reporters are directed to the fund's other schemes). The fund also runs a year-round Vooronderzoekssubsidie of up to EUR 8,800 for preliminary research and a year-round Uitvoeringssubsidie of up to EUR 38,600 for carrying out projects, both open to all journalists. APPLICATION WINDOW: 17 August to 14 September 2026, via the Fonds BJP subsidy portal. Online office hours on 8 September 2026; questions on 020 63 86 295.
The American Academy in Berlin is an independent, nonprofit institute for advanced study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and public policy, whose primary mission is to strengthen the cultural and intellectual ties between the United States and Germany. Each year, after a rigorous selection process, the Academy awards roughly two dozen semester-long Berlin Prize fellowships to individuals who demonstrate excellence in their fields. DISCIPLINES: applications are welcome across the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and various areas of public policy. The Academy generally encourages projects addressing pressing issues of the day, specifically naming democracy, security, technology and society (especially AI), energy including climate, and global order. Dedicated fellowships also support projects in Jewish studies, German studies, and public health and biotechnology. Project proposals need not focus on Germany, but candidates should explain how a residency in Berlin would enhance their work. NOT ACCEPTED: proposals in mathematics or the natural sciences. NOTE FOR ARTISTS: visual artists and composers are invited through separate, nomination-based competitions, so there is no open application route for them here. ELIGIBILITY: fellowships are restricted to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Both emerging and established figures are eligible. PhD holders qualify as emerging scholars with a strong record of peer-reviewed work beyond the dissertation; candidates in non-academic fields such as journalism, filmmaking and policy need a significant record of publication or production; fiction and nonfiction writers must have published at least one book with a reputable press. WHAT FELLOWS DO: fellows present their work to audiences in and around Berlin through lectures, readings, public discussions, performances and film screenings, and should be willing to engage with relevant German institutions, organizations and the media; these activities are integral to the Academy's mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue. APPLICATION MATERIALS: a project proposal of 1,500 to 1,750 words plus a one-page bibliography; a curriculum vitae of up to 10 pages; two writing samples totalling no more than 60 pages; and three letters of recommendation, which are due 2 October 2026. DEADLINE: Friday 25 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time (18:00 Central European Time). TIMELINE: all candidates are notified of the competition outcome by email in late March 2027; the 2027-28 Berlin Prize recipients are announced in May 2027.
Translators' residency at Uebersetzerhaus Looren in Wernetshausen near Zurich. Looren offers a free residency for literary translators with a current contract, including six competitive CHF 4,000 stipend grants per year tied to one-month residencies. The Pro Helvetia residency programme (separately funded) has a 2026-10-15 deadline for 2027 stays. The James Joyce Scholarship and Looren Residency 2027 closes 2026-10-31. General free residencies are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. ELIGIBILITY: literary translators with substantial published work and a current translation contract; any language combination is welcome. Apply via the application page on looren.net. No application fee.
Leading Irish literary magazine that publishes and pays for creative nonfiction (as well as fiction and poetry), with a stated particular interest in promoting new and emerging writers. A clean, no-fee, internationally-open outlet for a standalone critical/creative-nonfiction piece. ELIGIBILITY: Irish and international writers; debut-friendly, no published-book requirement. Submissions are accepted in specific windows; the next nonfiction window runs Monday 9 November to Monday 23 November 2026 (closes 5pm Irish time) for the Summer 2027 issue.
Development grants from the Nederlands Letterenfonds (Dutch Foundation for Literature) for starting and advanced Dutch literary creators - writers, illustrators and translators - to fund training, coaching, editorial support, or travel and research abroad linked to a literary project. EUR 500 to EUR 2,500 per grant. ELIGIBILITY: Dutch-language literary creators (Dutch or Flemish-speaking world); see funder's application page for full eligibility criteria. CYCLE: applications are reviewed on a ROLLING basis (the scheme has been open since February 2026 and there is no fixed deadline). No application fee.