Application for Dynamo Mentoring Scheme

Application for Dynamo mentoring scheme

The Dynamo mentoring scheme will provide a unique free two-hour one-to-one mentoring session with Nine Arches Press editor and poetry mentor Jane Commane. The scheme is being targeted at communities who are currently under-represented in poetry publishing and in contemporary poetry in general – for example; disabled, low-income, BAME and LGBTQI+ poets. This is a pilot scheme, offered in partnership with Writing West Midlands, for poets living, working or studying in the West Midlands.

The Mentoring session will involve an editorial assessment of up to six poems, plus discussion about routes open to new and emerging poets, advice on publishing and a chance to discuss next steps in creative development of poetry and building a track-record of publication and profile.

Poets will be asked to complete this application form and submit three poems or extracts from poems (each poem should be no longer than 40 lines each) via email to:

Personal data: Please note that we do ask for some personal information on this form to assess need and help us allocate the ten mentorships. All information you give on this form will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with any third party outside of Nine Arches Press and Writing West Midlands during the selection process.

Please note: we expect there to be high demand for the mentoring scheme and sadly cannot give individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants. All decisions are final.

Application Form

Section One: Contact Details

Name:

Home Address:

Email Address:

Phone Number (please give us a mobile number if possible):

How did you hear about the mentoring scheme?

If your home address is not within the West Midlands, please explain your connection to the region (via work, study, etc.).

Section Two: Your Poetry and Creative Development

We’d like to know a bit more about you as a poet, so these questions are about your experiences and development so far.

Please note that not having been previously published, performed your work or had any previous writer training or qualification will not count against you – we just want to know what sort of stage you are at, so we can ensure we give mentoring to poets at a range of different levels and stages of experience and profile.

Have you had, or are you currently having, any formal writer training (e.g. MA course in creative writing) or informal writer training (e.g. Arvon course, writing workshops, master classes)?

Have you participated in any groups / networks of writers?

Have you previously received any mentoring / development as a writer? (If yes, please specify the duration, type and source).

Have you had any poems published, broadcast or performed live at events as a poet? (If yes, please give brief details)

What would you most like to get out of the mentoring, and how do you think it could help you develop as a poet?

Section Three: About You

Are you: (please indicate)

White British White (other)

White Irish Mixed race

Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi

Other Asian (non-Chinese) Black Caribbean

Black African Black (others)

Chinese Other (please specify)

Are you: (please indicate)

Aged 18 – 25

Aged 25 – 34

Aged 35 - 44

Aged 45 – 54

Aged 55 - 64

Aged 65+

Are you (please indicate):

Deaf

Disabled

Not disabled

Other (please specify)

Do you identify as LGBTQI+ (please indicate):

Yes

Would prefer not to say

Are you on a low income or consider yourself economically marginalised – e.g. on minimum wage, in receipt of benefits or currently not employed? If yes, please give further detail:

Yes No

Do you consider yourself to be marginalised or unable to access other equivalent routes to develop your poetry or receive feedback (for example those that are charged for or that require regular attendance) either socially, economically, geographically, in terms of physical accessibility or otherwise? (If yes, please give further details to outline this):

Yes No

THANK YOU for filling in this application.

Please send this completed application form and your three sample poems (all three poems together in one Word document or PDF, with your name at the bottom of each page) by email to:

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 17th April 2017. We will not be able to consider applications submitted after the deadline or which are incomplete or do not include a separate attachment with three samples of your poetry.

We will notify all successful applicants by Friday 28th April.

Mentoring sessions will take place at Writing West Midlands, the Custard Factory, Birmingham between May and July 2017. This building is disabled accessible.

This project is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England