THE Charles Causley Trust has announced its next residency opportunity at Cyprus Well, the poet Charles Causley’s former home in Launceston.

This three-month residency will be the first in Causley’s centenary year of 2017. It is for a writer under the age of 30 with a strong link to Cornwall by birth, study, work or residency. The post has been designed to support a writer who is at an early stage of development in their practice, who will benefit from the opportunity to dedicate time to their writing.

The young writer will, therefore, receive additional mentoring from a Cornish literary arts professional for the duration of their time at Cyprus Well to aid their professional development.

This residency is the fourth opportunity of its kind as part of the Trust’s larger project ‘Spark to Flame’, which has been grant funded by the Arts Council of England, with support from Cornwall Council, Literature Works, Launceston Town Council and Plymouth University.

The resident will follow in the footsteps of Kathryn Simmonds, Dr Alyson Hallett, Dr Isabel Galleymore, Karen Hayes, and current poet and artist in residence, Charlotte Walker.

The project takes its name from the closing lines of Charles Causely’s poem, ‘Kelly Wood’, and in addition to the residencies, a programme of events and activities to promote Causley’s legacy and provision of accessible opportunities to engage with literature is being rolled out in Cornwall and beyond.

The young writer will be living full-time at Cyprus Well between January and April of 2017, and will assist with and participate in a series of workshops and events, co-ordinated by the trust, while retaining the remainder of their time for their own creative practice.

The trust would like to see new writing produced during the residency that engage with Causley’s life and work that will enhance his legacy, as well as inspiration being drawn from the community and landscape in and around Launceston, and Cornish connections forged.

The closing date for applications is November 28.

The trust’s international poetry competition is also now open for entries, with a closing date of December 1.

David Fryer, chairman of the Charles Causley Trust, said: “The Causley Trust is excited to offer this significant new opportunity to a young Cornish writer. We hope that this residency and mentoring programme will enable a young writer to gain professional skills to take their literary career to the next level, together with the space and time to develop their own creative practice.”

For further details of how to apply for the trust’s residency opportunity, visit causleytrust.org/the-spark-to-flame-project/residencies/apply-for-a-residency