Incredible opportunity to bring the University of Exeter’s unique archives to life opens to talented writers

Talented writers have the chance to explore the University of Exeter’s incredible literary archives and bring unique documents and artefacts to life in new and exciting ways.

The annual Ronald Duncan Stipends for South West Writing open the University’s Special Collections to serve as inspiration for new pieces of work.

The stipends are funded by a donation from the Ronald Duncan Literary Foundation to continue his legacy of experimental and cross-disciplinary writing – and this year’s programme is now open for applications.

Designed for those who are passionate about archives, storytelling, and bringing history to life through writing, the stipends enable holders to create unique pieces of work or public outreach events inspired by their experience.

Ronald Duncan (1914-1982), was a West Country author, journalist, playwright, poet, and scriptwriter, arguably be best known as the librettist for Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia (1946) and for his poem The Horse, which is read annually at the Horse of the Year show.

His career encompassed experiments with several writing forms including his epic poem Man (The Complete Cantos, 1980), and a one act play in Stereophonic Sound O-B-A-F-G. Duncan left the legacy of a fascinating archive of literary and personal papers, the Ronald Duncan Collection, which was donated to the University of Exeter Special Collections in 2016.

Ronald Duncan’s granddaughter Karina Moreton said: “For many, leaving a legacy is important. We believe that Ronnie (as we called him), would have been proud that over 40 years after his death, present day writers have the opportunity to find inspiration for contemporary work in the archives of creatives that preceded them.”

Those eligible for the stipends must have a strong connection to the South West, by living or working in the region, being actively involved in the regional literary scene, or have the South West as a key influence on their current writing practice.

Each year, one of these stipends may be offered in partnership with another organisation, and for 2025, this will extend to a writer from a UNESCO City of Literature through the support of Exeter City of Literature.

The £2,000 stipend supports people’s time and expenses, and there is also additional funding available for outreach and engagement activities.

Successful applicants will receive specialist guidance from the expert Special Collections team and will have access to a vibrant network of university partners and professionals

Applicants can be at any stage of their career and must be available to travel in person to the University’s Streatham campus.

To apply before the deadline of 15 June, follow the link to the Special Collections website.

Any applicant requiring A paper form should email libspc@exeter.ac.uk, or call 01392 722097.