Black Mountain Institute(BMI) Shearing Fellowship for Emerging Writers 2022

The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute hosts residential fellowships every academic year.

Visiting fellows join a community of writers and scholars in a thriving literary scene in Las Vegas and on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV); they are supported by individuals and groups that share the commitment to bringing writers and the literary imagination into the heart of public life.

While there are no formal teaching requirements, this is a “working fellowship” located in Las Vegas. BMI’s visiting fellows will maintain an in-office presence of 10 hours a week, along with 10 hours of service to the community. In addition to the primary goal of furthering one’s own writing during their term in Las Vegas, visiting fellows are expected to engage in a substantial way with BMI’s community, in ways that connect to their interests and skills. Upon acceptance into the programme, each fellow will craft a plan in partnership with BMI.

About Black Mountain Institute(BMI)

From our base in Las Vegas, Nevada—a unique, vital, and surprising city for creativity and the arts—our programs serve both local and international audiences. The question that guides all aspects of our work is how writers and their honest, artful expression can galvanize community, support open societies, and facilitate creative approaches to the most vexing problems of our time. From our home at  UNLV—and with partners throughout Southern Nevada and around the world—BMI facilitates intersections between local talent, emerging and distinguished writers, and art... read more

BMI Shearing Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of BMI Shearing Fellowship

This fellowship includes:

• Compensation of $20,000 paid over a four-month period;
• A semester-long letter of appointment;
• Eligibility for optional health coverage;
• Office space in the BMI offices on the campus of UNLV;
• Housing (fellows cover some utilities) in a unique and vibrant arts complex in the bustling district of downtown Las Vegas—home to The Writer’s Block, our city’s beloved independent bookstore; and
• Recognition at BMI as a “Shearing Fellow.”

Requirements for BMI Shearing Fellowship Qualification

• Open to emerging and distinguished writers;
• Only candidates who have published at least one book by a trade press are eligible.

Documents Required for Application

• A one- to three-page personal statement, which includes 1) your interest in being part of the Las Vegas literary community, 2) a practical description of how you envision fulfilling your service hours and engaging the Las Vegas community, and 3) the writing project(s) you will work on while in residency.
• A writing sample (10 pages maximum, double-spaced, 12 pt.).
• A résumé or CV.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Finalists will be asked to send copies of their books. (Applicants must have at least one book published by a trade press.) Candidates are selected by a committee comprised of staff and community members at BMI.

For more details,visit BMI website