Emerging Writers – Creative Writing Commission: Pub Cultures
Creative Writing Brief
Southampton Forward has a creative writing commission for emerging writers to bring the stories and heritage of Pubs across Southampton to life. Pub Cultures celebrates pubs and their heritage by linking up 9 pubs and their communities with 9 local artists that will result in bespoke works of art. We are collaborating with nine local pubs, each with unique stories and cultural roots, managed by publicans from diverse backgrounds. The final creative can be produced in any writing genre of your choice.
Project Background
Through Pub Cultures, we aim to highlight that pubs are not just businesses but vital gathering places at the heart of their communities. They serve as lifelines for social connection and mutual support—symbols of resilience, identity, and the diverse stories that shape local life.
We are collecting oral histories with each of the publicans, landlords and landladies, capturing their personal stories and reflections on their pub’s place in the community. The oral histories will be shared with the selected writers to inspire and inform their work.
The final creative writing piece will be part of a printed and digital resource that explores the project in more detail and maps the locations of all nine pubs in the series. Along with the creative writing will be images of the pub and the creative work that is being created for each pub involved in the project.
Brief Overview
We are commissioning three emerging creative writers, each assigned three pubs, to create a bespoke poem for each venue —resulting in a total of three poems per writer. We want the pieces to reflect the cultural and community significance of the pub and draw on the oral histories provided, to highlight the historical, emotional and cultural impact of these pubs. This can be in any writing genre of your choice. These final pieces will be shared with the individual pubs, be printed on posters, and be part of a digital exhibition for the project.
Final writing commission requirements:
- Word Count: Each of the nine individual pieces: Please keep each the piece between 150 to 300 words (max). This is essential to ensure it fits on one side of a poster using accessible 12-point font.
- Tone and Style: All pieces should be warm, evocative and community-focused, capturing the spirit and diversity of Pub Culture as vibrant community story.
- Format: Submit as a Word document or PDF.
Timeline/Key Dates
Application deadline: Midnight on Wednesday 19th February
Commissions awarded: Wednesday 26th February
Oral histories supplied: No later than Friday 28th February
Final pieces submitted by: Wednesday 12th March
We are looking to give this opportunities to new or emerging writers to be involved in this project.
Fees:
£450 for each commissioned writer to produce 3 short pieces
How to Apply
If you are a new or emerging writer and are interested in applying, please send by midnight on 19th February.
Please send your information in word or pdf format to: info@southamptonforward.org.uk
- A copy of your CV (no longer than 2 pages of A4),
- A brief outline of how you would approach the commission (no more than 500 words)
- A short portfolio sample of your writing (max 1 page)
This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the unsung role of local pubs and share their stories. We look forward to seeing how you will bring this project to life!