18 October 2021 

As part of an exciting new partnership with Literature Works, we'll be hosting a writer-in-residence at Wheal Martyn in February 2022 to celebrate the ‘Writers of the Clay’.

Together we'll recruit a writer, storyteller, spoken word artist or other wordsmith to be in residence at Wheal Martyn during the month of February 2022.

Helen Chaloner, CEO of Literature Works, said: “We have supported writer residencies in many settings, from houses that were once homes to writers, to grand houses and to universities. This time, we are thrilled to be working with Wheal Martyn, placing a writer in residence to explore with local people the rich seam of local writing talent – past and present. We want to hear their voices and tales. The search is now on for the writer to lead this exciting prospect.”

Sian Powell, Exhibition and Engagement Officer at Wheal Martyn, said: “The clay country of mid-Cornwall, historically housing workers (and their families) of the china clay industry, boasts many incredible and interesting authors. These china clay mining landscapes almost demand artistic and literary reflection. I am so excited for Wheal Martyn to work in partnership with Literature Works to create a role that promotes and continues the rich literary heritage of this area.”

Our collection already highlights the remarkable activity of past ‘writers of the clay’, including Jack Clemo, Salome Hocking, EV Thompson and more. The writer-in-residence will explore with local groups how creativity in words has sprung from the communities of the clay villages. They will support people to develop their own writing, drawing on the industrial and natural landscape which has inspired and continues to inspire new writing today. This will include walking the Clay Trails and discovering the contemporary biodiversity of the site.

This residency is a pilot for a planned wider project from Literature Works, using the literary heritage of locations around South West England as the inspiration for contemporary writers working with local communities.

For more information and how to apply click here. 

The closing date for writer applications is 19 November 2021. Candidates selected for interview will be notified on or before 26 November 2021. Interviews will take place at Wheal Martyn on 1 December 2021.