Fingal Arts Office and Fingal Libraries announce Swords Cultural Quarter Poet in Residence 2026–2027
Fingal Arts Office and Fingal Libraries invite applications for the Swords Cultural Quarter Poet in Residence 2026–2027.
This year-long residency will support a poet living in or from Fingal to become a creative connector across Arts, Libraries and communities in Swords during a significant period of cultural development.
About the Residency:
This is not a studio-bound position, but a connective and outward-facing role. The selected poet will act as a cultural weaver—linking people, places, and ideas across Swords Cultural Quarter.
The poet will:
- Develop and present new creative work
- Connect artistic practice with public life
- Build meaningful relationships across libraries, arts spaces and community settings
- Lead audiences on a shared literary journey culminating in, and extending beyond, the launch of Culture House
The residency will help shape a shared cultural narrative across Swords at a moment of transition and growth.
The poet will be provided with dedicated desk space at The Carnegie, Swords for the duration of the residency.
The Carnegie:
The Carnegie is a key cultural space within the evolving Swords Cultural Quarter. Originally a Carnegie Library, it has been reimagined as a centre for artistic innovation, learning and community engagement—retaining its founding ethos of access, knowledge and connection.
As Swords Cultural Quarter develops toward the opening of Culture House, the Poet in Residence will play a key role in:
- Reflecting the identity and imagination of the area
- Connecting past and future through language
- Building anticipation and participation around Culture House
- Continuing to activate cultural life beyond its opening
The Carnegie, library spaces, community venues and Culture House will be linked through the poet’s work as a shared creative thread.
Applications should include:
- A brief outline of the writing project you will work on during the residency
- A current CV
- A brief statement of intent outlining why the residency appeals to you, and why it would be beneficial to your work
- A sample of current writing (8–10 pages or approximately 10–12 poems)
Applicants must:
- Be from or currently living in Fingal
- Be an emerging or established poet with evidence of publication and/or public readings
- Demonstrate experience in community or educational engagement
- Show capacity to work collaboratively across institutional settings
Applications should be submitted to [email protected] with the subject line “SCQ POET IN RESIDENCE 2026” no later than 5.00 p.m. June 5th, 2026.
It is recommended to read the full application brief linked here