Writing Our Legacy’s Species Stories commission, in partnership with South Downs National Park Authority

Writing Our Legacy and the South Downs National Park Authority are seeking to commission 6 writers to produce a creative response inspired by a priority species for the South Downs landscape, with the key species drawn from bees, bats, birds and butterflies, worth over £3000.

The commission comprises one written work in the form of a poem or similar, plus one digital output to disseminate that written work. The digital output could be a short film, audio recording or soundscape. For example, you could write a short poem and then create a film to accompany it as a spoken word piece.

Your written work will then be used this autumn to inspire children in schools across and around the South Downs to try creative writing as part of a writing competition.

The Species Stories commission is a partnership between Writing Our Legacy and the South Downs National Park Authority. It is funded by the Foyle Foundation and South Downs National Park Authority. It is also supported by Arts Council England, as part of our National Portfolio Organisation funding for 2023-25.

The commission builds on our longer-term partnership with the South Downs National Park Authority, including Shifting the Gaze, a two-year programme (2021-23) that aimed to support individual BPOC writers with building a creative focus on nature, landscape and heritage of the South Downs.

Why now?

Nature is in crisis. Now more than ever, we need to incite emotion, curiosity and creativity to make space for nature and communities and to rekindle the bond between people and the natural world. We need nature recovery not only to build back and beyond but also to reach people and create custodianship and care so that nature is not only in recovery but also thriving.

Whether swifts that exist on the wing, navigating slipstreams each summer in a transatlantic journey that creates the next generation, or Pipistrelle bats whose language is silent primarily to our ears but enlivens the night skies, each species has a story. Each story can create a connection. We need people with the gifts that communicate stories in ways that enliven, touch hearts, create tears or insight laughter. This is a fruitful space for creative exploration, not only to explore key species, but to explore ourselves. We also know this is a space where language, taxonomy and access are all weighted by history.

This unique project aims to pair a writer and a priority species for nature recovery to produce a creative work inspired by the natural world, to inspire young minds.

Green-eyed flower bee

About the commission

Each writer will receive a fee of £2,000 for the commission, plus up to £100 towards travel and consumables. Commissioned writers can also request additional access or development support of up to £500.

For the digital output, writers will have up to £1000 additional budget to cover the production costs.

The six successful writers will be given an opportunity to meet in person, alongside specialists/experts in nature recovery and biodiversity from the South Downs National Park Authority and Writing Our Legacy staff, as part of a Knowledge Exchange session. The Knowledge Exchange session will take place on Tuesday 22 July at Seven Sisters Country Park. Please make sure you can attend this session when applying.

Writers will also be supported by the Writing Our Legacy team and have access to a mentoring session.

This opportunity is open to established and emerging writers, who are signed up to our free membership scheme at the time of application.

The deadline for applications is Fri 11 July at 9am.

Please note, work will need to be produced in a strict timeframe as follows: in 6 weeks (Mon 21 July – Mon 1 Sept) for the original creative writing and 13 weeks (1 September – 30 November) for the digital output.

Further information

This is an exciting but fast-paced opportunity for a BPOC writer to respond to a creative commission. It’s important that you can work to a deadline and to a high standard. However, please be assured that you will be supported all along the way to accomplish this, with regular check-ins, support from Writing Our Legacy, and advice and support from South Downs National Park staff.

Commissioned writers will have 6 weeks (Mon 21 July – Mon 1 Sept) to produce an original short written creative piece, created in response to a species of their selection.

Writers will then have 13 weeks (1 September – 30 November) to produce the digital version of their work.

Fees and support:

Fee per writer: £2,000 + up to £100 travel and consumables budget.
Applicants can also request additional access or development support of up to £500.
Writers will have an additional budget of up to £1000 to cover the production costs of digital outputs.

Additional information:

You’ll also receive one mentoring session from our writers on our mentoring service – Tammye Huf, Elaine Chiew, Katy Massey, Zita Holbourne FRSA and Umi Sinha, Jasmin Qureshi — which will include a 40-minute Zoom tutorial and feedback sessions on up to 2500 words or three poems not exceeding a total of 2500 words.

Brown long-eared bat {Plecotus auritus} on a black background.

Species

Bats	Bees	Birds	Butterflies

Bechsteins	Potter flower bee	Yellowhammer	Adonis blue
Barbastelle	Downland furrow bee	Barn owl	Dingy Skipper
Grey long-eared	Bumblebees	Grey Partridge	Long-tailed blue
Natterers	Large scabious mining bee	Corn bunting	Silver studded blue
Serotine	Small scabious mining bee	Skylark	Small blue
Common pipistrelle		Lapwing	Pearl bordered fritillary
		Turtle dove	Grayling

Beautiful image of rare Brown Hairstreak butterfly Thecla Butulae in English countrysdie wild flower meadow in Summer

Outputs and legacy

Your written short poetic (or similar) work will be used to inspire children in schools across and around the South Downs to try creative writing as part of a writing competition.

Inspired by your work and writing prompts, species fact sheets, photos and films to guide them along the way, children will have the chance to win a prize for their school to support ‘renaturing the classroom’.

In addition, your written work and associated digital output will be used by Writing Our Legacy and the South Downs National Park Authority to communicate the impact of our nature-based work. For the South Downs National Park Authority, this will include uses that promote action for nature through campaigns, to strengthen our online voice in championing species, and inspiring the wider public to protect nature and draw inspiration from the natural world.

Please note: you will hold the copyright to your writing, but as part of the commission, you will give Writing Our Legacy and the South Downs National Park Authority permission to publish and use the writing as stated above.

Timeline

The Species Stories commission is now open for application, with the following timeline:

Applications open from Mon 16 June
Deadline Fri 11 July at 9am
Decisions by Fri 18 July
Contracts issued by Mon 21 July

Writing Our Legacy will contact you within 5 working days to confirm receipt of your application.

Key dates for the commission:

Short written creative piece submitted by Fri 29 August
Knowledge Exchange meeting at Seven Sisters Country Park (mandatory for all writers) – Tuesday 22 July
Digital piece produced between 1 September – 30 November (13 weeks)

Other relevant project dates:

Schools’ resources will be produced from 1-26 September (4 weeks).
Schools’ competition will run from 6 October – 14 November (6 weeks)

Selection process

A panel of staff will assess applications from Writing Our Legacy and South Downs National Park Authority.

Eligibility and Access

Applicants must be Black*, Asian or ethnically diverse writers and live in the South East of England, including Hampshire. We will accept writers in other parts of England, providing there is good rationale presented for their proposal and the in-person Knowledge Exchange meeting is attended. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

*BPOC stands for ‘Black people, People of Colour’ and is a self-identifying term. While we use the term BPOC, we acknowledge the limitations of this terminology. At the core of our network is the aim to address and overcome systemic barriers that our members face directly or indirectly based on their ethnic or national identities, race or perceived racial identities, or the colour of their skin as per the Equality Act of 2010. This includes people who identify as Black, brown, people of colour, Global Majority, mixed-race, multiple heritage and/or are from the Global South, and/or are East and South-East Asian, West Asian, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, African-Caribbean, Caribbean, Latinx, Pacific Islander, Indigenous, or First Nations, and diasporas.

Lapwing

Apply

Please apply using our online Google application form HERE.

For accessibility, you can find the questions in the form HERE in a plain Google Doc. Feel free to make a copy and email us the answers to info@writingourlegacy.org.uk

If you have any access needs and would like 121 support (up to 30 minutes), please contact us on access@writingourlegacy.org.uk.

Applications will be accepted by Google form, with other options and support provided if applicants are disabled or have language access needs.

The deadline for applications is Fri 11 July at 9am.

We also invite applicants to fill out an optional monitoring form. All information will be held confidential and will not be connected to your application. This information helps with our evaluation and future funding.

Application guidance

The form asks the following questions:

Full name

Address

Postcode

Phone number

Email address

Ethnic heritage

Application statement

Please write up to 600 words telling us: 1) Why are you applying for this commission? 2) Please select 2 species and tell us why you have selected them 3) What are your ideas for the digital output? 4) Tell us about your creative practice and track record of delivering commissions.

Examples of your work and your artist CV

Please provide examples of your writing.

You can add up to 1000 words of your writing or current work in progress.

CV – please upload your artist CV including any publications, commissions, grants, awards, programmes or any other relevant activity.

Organisations Involved

Writing Our Legacy CIC

Writing Our Legacy CIC is an arts and heritage organisation that enables Black, Asian and ethnically diverse/BPOC* people to tell their story through writing and the creative arts. We were established in 2012.

We give writers and other creatives a platform and community to feel supported, nurtured and evolve their work through the creative pipeline, from start to publication. We share stories and heritage of diaspora communities and bring them to life through various art forms for audiences to learn and take part in cultural heritage.

South Downs National Park Authority

The South Downs National Park is the third largest National Park in England and has the largest National Park population, with 117,000 residents. From rolling hills to bustling market towns, the South Downs National Park’s landscapes cover 1,600km2 of breathtaking views, including 18 distinctive landscapes, 13 European wildlife sites and more woodland than any other National Park in England or Wales. The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is responsible for keeping the South Downs a special place, including conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area. It is also the planning authority for the National Park. The Authority is a public body, funded by the government, and run by a Board of 27 Members.

Wild Chalk Duke of Burgundy butterfly by Neil Hulme

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