Hay Festival Global has announced the participants of Writers at Work 2024, a creative development programme for emerging Welsh talent at Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye
(23 May–2 June) with the support of Literature Wales, funded by Arts Council of Wales.
Offering a fully-programmed ten days of creative development opportunities, Hay Festival Writers at Work allows the selected writers to engage in Festival events, attend workshops with publishers, agents and, crucially, with established international artists.
Open to writers working in English and Welsh across genres – fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry – this year’s 10 successful applicants are:
- Dylan Huw
- Hammad Rind
- Isabel Adonis
- JL George
- Joshua Jones
- Katie Munnik
- Megan Angharad Hunter
- Rachel Dawson
- Taylor Edmonds
- Zoë Brigley
Writers at Work is a Hay Festival project supported by Literature Wales – the national company for the development of literature – and run by writer Tiffany Murray, whose latest book, My Family and Other Rock Stars, is published in May.
Participants to date have achieved a spread of award wins and shortlistings, including the International Dylan Thomas Prize, Wales Book of the Year, The New Welsh Writing Award, the Wasafiri New Writing Prize, Wales Media Award, Welsh Rising Star Award, and Creative Wales Award.
Established in 2016 to nurture Welsh talent writing in both languages, Writers at Work was paused during the Covid-19 pandemic. 2024 will mark its sixth year.
Hay Festival CEO Julie Finch said:
“Hay Festival Global is a convener of writers, readers and – crucially – creative opportunities. As one of Wales’ largest cultural institutions we are proud of our Welsh roots and take our responsibility to the cultural landscape of Wales seriously. We are delighted to showcase our Writers at Work 2024. This year’s programme of activities will meet the challenges Wales’ emerging creatives face today, guarding and growing our creative impact for the future.”
Literature Wales Artistic Director Leusa Llewelyn said:
“Congratulations to the ten writers selected to take part in the highly coveted Writers at Work opportunity this year. It was a privilege to read so many high-quality applications from Welsh writers, and to be introduced to a wide variety of voices and themes. The creative energy amongst the applications was palpable, and they were all full of ambition and eagerness to further their professional careers. We look forward to seeing how the writers develop from the wonderful offerings of Writers at Work 2024.”
Writer and former participant Darren Chetty said:
“Being part of Writers at Work was a superb experience. I got to hear from leading writers and be part of a supportive community of Welsh writers. Three of us who met as Writers at Work went on to co-edit Welsh (Plural): Essays on the Future of Wales.”
Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye 2024 is supported by lead sponsors Baillie Gifford, Welsh Government, Arts Council England and Arts Council Wales, lead media partner the BBC and digital media partner TikTok.
Launching the best new fiction and non-fiction, while offering insights and debate around significant global issues, the programme sees writers, policy makers, pioneers and innovators take part from around the world, offering big thinking and bold ideas.
Events offer something for all, beginning with the free schools programme, 23–24 May, and including a vibrant strand for families throughout.
New projects woven across the Festival include The Platform for new creatives, the daily News Review offering analysis of the latest events, the first-ever Hay Festival Sports Day, and Hay Festival Green, prompting innovative solutions to the climate crisis.
Late nights at the Festival are given over to great music, comedy and entertainment, while a host of free pop-up activities and performances around the site keeps audience entertained between sessions.
Events will take place across eight stages in the redesigned free-to-enter Festival site at Dairy Meadows – which also offers a range of spaces for audiences to explore and enjoy, including the Bookshop, Wild Garden, Make & Take Tent, a host of exhibitors and market stalls, cafés and restaurants, and the new Family Garden where young readers can kick-start their creative journeys ¬– as well as in and around Hay-on-Wye, including music performances all week at St Mary’s Church.
