Organizer Information
The Jan Michalski Foundation for Writing and Literature was created in 2004 in Montricher, Switzerland, at the foot of the Jura Mountains. Jan Michalski (1953–2002) was a Polish/Swiss/French book publisher who, along with Vera Michalski-Hoffmann, founded the Jan Michalski Foundation, which awards the annual Jan Michalski Prize in literature. Vera Michalski-Hoffmann established the Foundation following her husband's death to continue their shared commitment to writers and readers. The Foundation, inaugurated in 2013, offers a large multilingual book library of 80,000 volumes, an auditorium, an exhibition hall, a literary café and cabins used as writing residences. Its broader mission is to foster literary creation and encourage the practice of reading through exhibitions, cultural events, library access, a literary prize, financial support programs, and its writer-in-residence program.
Title & Description
Writer's Residency — Jan Michalski Foundation for Writing and Literature
The Foundation offers residencies for writers and translators in a set of seven individual "cabins" suspended from an openwork canopy structure above the Foundation grounds, plus an eighth cabin used as a shared kitchen and common living space. The residency is designed to give writers dedicated time and an isolated, well-supported setting in which to start, continue, or complete a literary project. Around forty writers from around the world — ranging from emerging voices to established figures — are hosted each year, and a portion of residencies are set aside specifically for nature writing, a form of fiction or creative non-fiction addressing environmental awareness and human impact on nature.
Categories
- Writing
- Creative Writing
- Literature
- Residency
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Environment
Eligibility
- Open to all types of writers engaged in literary creation, with priority given to literary writers and translators
- Open to individuals or pairs of participants working on a joint project (e.g., a writer and translator, a writer and a practitioner of another discipline, or two writers)
- No age or nationality restrictions
- Beginners are accepted
- Open to all languages of writing
- Only one application per year, per candidate
- Former residents may not reapply
Program Benefits & Awards
- Weekly allowance of CHF 400
- Full coverage of residents' travel costs to and from their home address
- Breakfast and lunch provided by the Foundation
- Independent living accommodation in one of seven cabins for the duration of the stay
- Electric bikes available for residents' use
- Free daytime access to the Foundation's library
- Access to cultural activities organized by the Foundation
- One cabin available for residents with reduced mobility
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed online application form
- All requested supporting documents (as specified in the application platform)
- Excerpts from current or published work (may be submitted in any language, regardless of the language of the application)
- Note in the "Comments" box of the application if reduced-mobility accommodation is needed
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 August 2026
- Announcement of Selected Candidates: December 2026
- Arrival of First Wave of Residents: mid-January 2027
Location
Montricher, Switzerland
Additional Details
- Residency lengths range from two weeks to one, two, or three months; the requested length should match the scope of the project, though the Foundation reserves the right to offer a different period based on availability
- Residencies cannot be split into multiple stays across the year
- Families, children, and pets cannot be accommodated
- Applications cannot be modified or supplemented with additional documents once submitted
- Selection is based on three criteria: literary quality of the project, the candidate's professional background, and whether the requested stay length matches the project's scope (beginners are judged on project quality and motivation only)
- A panel of experts chaired by Vera Michalski-Hoffmann decides on all applications; all candidates are notified, but reasons for non-selection are not provided
- Applications must be submitted in English or French, though writing excerpts may be in any language
- Incomplete applications will not be considered