JIAS Creative Writing Workshop 2025 (Fully Funded)
Apply Now: 2025 JIAS Creative Writing Workshop for Emerging African Writers
The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) is now accepting applications for its 2025 Creative Writing Workshop. This six-week, fully funded residency is designed for emerging African writers working in poetry or short fiction who are ready to develop new work in a supportive, intellectually rich environment.
About the JIAS Creative Writing Workshop
- Application Deadline: 30 July 2025
- Residency Dates: 15 September – 31 October 2025
- Location: JIAS micro-campus, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Eligibility: Emerging writers based on the African continent
- Genres: Poetry and Short Story
- Support Provided: Travel, accommodation, and a stipend
Led by acclaimed writer Makhosazana Xaba, the workshop will be centered on the theme: “Exploring the Ordinary in Our Lives.” Participants will engage in close reading, group discussions, and writing sessions, reflecting across genres while exploring memory, imagination, and research in their creative practice.
Each week will introduce a new sub-theme, designed to help writers expand their craft through mentorship and peer dialogue. The workshop promises a space for experimentation, critique, and growth—rooted in the values of creative freedom and cross-border literary exchange.
How to Apply for the JIAS Creative Writing Workshop
Visit the official JIAS application page for full application instructions and more details.
Why Apply?
This is more than a residency—it is an opportunity to connect with a vibrant community of African writers and thinkers, to write without interruption, and to be mentored by an established literary voice. If you are ready to refine your creative voice, push boundaries, and deepen your craft, this workshop is for you.
While preparing your application, consider reading insights and advice from other writers:
- Six Award-Winning Writers Share Their Writing Tips, Their Writing Philosophies, and Their Experiences With Rejection Letters
- Ten Brilliant Poets Discuss Their Writing Philosophies, Recommend Poems, and Part the Green River of Rejections
- Short Story Masterclass #3: How to Create Characters Readers Care About
Final Notes
At JIAS, writers will not only produce new work but will also gain insight into literary development in a calm and focused setting. The workshop offers time, space, and guidance—all essential tools for literary growth.
Deadline: 30 July 2025
Apply here: https://linktr.ee/JIAS_UJ
For updates, follow JIAS on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).
