Boise City Writer-in-Residence

About

The Boise City Writer-in-Residence program, presented by The Cabin, the Boise City Department of Arts & History, and the Boise Public Library, is a six-month residency to connect local writers with the Boise community through free monthly literary-focused public programs and events.

Residents are responsible for developing and facilitating six (6) literary-focused public programs. These public programs may take the form of themed or open writing workshops, reading series, writing explorations, or other literary experiences. They receive a $5,000 stipend to support their creative work and their time to develop these programs.

The goals of this Residency are three-fold:

Support local emerging and mid-career writers in their creative practice.
Provide free and accessible literary programs to the community.
Raise awareness of the services and programs of The Cabin, the Boise Public Library, and the Boise City Department of Arts & History.

We are thrilled to announce that Idaho-based writers Susan Bruns (October 2024 - March 2025) and Alan Heathcock (April 2025 - September 2025) have been selected as the 2024-2025 Boise City Writers-in-Residence!

Current Boise City Writer-in-Residence

October 2024 - March 2025

Susan Bruns

Susan Bruns is an Idaho-based writer whose work has been featured in various literary outlets, including The Sun, Creative Nonfiction, and LitHub. She has received grants for her writing from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, Alexa Rose Foundation, and the City of Boise. In 2020, she was an artist-in-residence at Surel’s Place and a 2021 finalist for the Richard J. Margolis nonfiction award. Bruns holds an MFA in creative writing from Boise State University, and degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Idaho. She has taught numerous writing workshops and enjoys helping others share their stories. Having grown up on a farm in Idaho’s high desert, her writing often reflects her family’s experiences with the region’s tough conditions.

Upcoming workshops

We hope you'll join Boise City Writer-in-Residence Susan Bruns for her upcoming free community writing workshops.

No registration is required to participate, but space is limited. These workshops are geared toward adults. As mature content may be discussed, parental discretion is advised for participants under 18. Please bring writing materials, such as a notebook and pen.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024
At the Erma Hayman House from 6 PM - 8 PM

Saturday, November 9, 2024
At the Library! at Hillcrest from 12 PM - 1:30 PM

Wednesday, December 11, 2024
At the Library! at Bown Crossing from 6 PM - 7:45 PM

Wednesday, January 22, 2025
At the Library! at Collister from 6 PM - 7:45 PM

Wednesday, February 12, 2025
At the Library! Downtown from 6 PM - 7:45 PM

Wednesday, March 19, 2025
At the Library! at Cole & Ustick from 6 PM - 7:45 PM

Interested in applying?

The next round of applications will be accepted via Submittable by the Boise City Department of Arts & History starting in June 2025. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from The Cabin, Boise Public Library, and the Boise City Department of Arts & History. Selected residents will be announced in September 2025. Please check back for more details.

Next application submission dates:
June 2025 - July 2025

Selection Criteria: 

Selections will be made by a committee and based on the following:

Strength of application
Quality of work samples
References
Online Interview

Eligibility: 

Open to applicants legally able to work in the United States.
Applicants must be able to pass a thorough background check.
Applicants must be 18 or older.
City of Boise employees are ineligible to apply.

The Cabin, the Boise Public Library, and the Boise City Department of Arts & History do not discriminate in their programs and activities on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or disability.

The delight any writer takes in their work is catching, so when we come together and share the fruit of our labor, we all get to taste it at one table. Good conversation about storytelling cultivates a greater reverence for it, this thing that is so often done in isolation. That’s the beauty of the WIR workshops–community around something that can otherwise be solitary. Community serves to uphold a sense of awe for the craft of creating itself, and the pure joy of sharing and enjoying good writing.

–Natalie Disney, inaugural Boise City Writer-in-Residence

FAQs

Do applicants need to be local to the Boise area?
No. However, in-person programming at library branches, or other Boise locations, will require the writer to be physically present once a month for the duration of the residency.

Is working space provided for the writer in residence?
No. The stipend is meant to support the writer’s work but it does not include working space.

Are there any limitations on programming?
Yes, it needs to be accessible to all and appropriate for children, families, and anyone who participates.

Would I be ineligible from this residency if I received another residency or fellowship at the same time?
No. Unless your fellowship or residency prevents you from fulfilling your programming obligations, you are not precluded from applying.

Are City of Boise employees allowed to apply?
No.

When is the application deadline?
Check back soon for the next round of application dates and deadlines.

What are the residency dates?
The current residency terms and corresponding date ranges are: