Idaho is graced with several Writers in Residence. (Note: If you know of others, feel free to let me know and I will add to this post as appropriate.)
- The writer must apply and be evaluated.
- The post is for a limited duration (from months to years).
- The recipient receives a stipend.
- The Writer in Residence is typically expected to present public events, speaking about their work and/or the craft of writing.
Idaho
Kerri Webster is the state of Idaho’s Writer in Residence for 2024-2025. She is the recipient of numerous prizes for her work and is the author of four books of poetry. She’s a former professor of poetry at Boise State University and has taught poetry at Boise’s The Cabin.
Other recent Idaho Writers in Residence include: CMarie Fuhrman, Malia Collins, Christian Winn, Diane Raptosh, Brady Udall, Anthony Doerr, and Kim Barnes. Read more about Idaho’s Writer in Residence program.
Hemingway House
The Community Library manages the Hemingway House Writer in Residence program which appears to have a shorter duration and is definitely by invitation only. Read more about it on these pages:
- Unique in the intermountain West, this residency provides an allowance of time and space in an historic house and a spectacular natural landscape for writers to work
- Discover what past residents have said about their experiences in Ernest Hemingway’s final home
- Acclaimed authors Josh Barkan and Jennifer Haigh to participate in separate events (Idaho Mountain Express, 28 Apr 2023)
Boise
The City of Boise has just inaugurated a Writer-in-Residence program, as we mentioned in this post last July. This initiative is a collaborative program between the Boise City Department of Arts & History, Boise Public Library, and The Cabin.
The post is funded by the City of Boise is the initial six-month residency was awarded to Heidi Kraay and Natalie Disney, alumni and teachers at Boise State University (links to article detailing their background).
Natalie Disney is currently serving (Oct. 2023 through March 2024) and Heidi Kraay will serve Apr. 2024 through September 2024.
Header image from the Punctuation Personified collection (circa 1824)