The northwest tower of Seattle's famous Fremont Bridge is opening its space to one lucky writer, who will be given $10,000 and the opportunity to work in the historic space for a period of three months.
Conceived by Seattle's Office of Arts & Culture and the Department of Transportation, this contest invites applications who are published poets, authors or writers of creative non-fiction to throw their hat in the ring for the opportunity to work in the snug 4 x 2.4 meter space.
What's interesting about this contest is that the winning writer will be expected to create a piece of work that is inspired by or otherwise related to their time working at the bridge.
Ultimately, the Fremont Bridge writing contest aims to use local architecture to inspire creation of writing and artistic material, and in doing so encourage dialogue between cities and their residents.
Bridge-Dwelling Writer Contests
Seattle's Fremont Bridge Will Be Home To a Writer For Three Months
Trend Themes
1. Architecture-inspired Art - Contests and initiatives that use local architecture to inspire writing and artistic creation could encourage engagement between locals and their city's infrastructure.
2. Pop-up Writing Residencies - Short-term, unconventional writing residencies that place writers in unique locations could provide new avenues for creativity.
3. Community Engagement Through Art - Art contests and initiatives that encourage engagement with local landmarks could create dialogue and foster a sense of belonging within communities.
Industry Implications
1. Creative Writing - Creative writing programs or publishing companies could sponsor bridge-dwelling writing contests or pop-up writing residencies to attract new talent and foster innovation.
2. Tourism and Public Spaces - Cities or tourism boards could sponsor bridge-dwelling writing contests or similar initiatives to encourage engagement with public spaces and landmarks, boosting tourism and local economies.
3. Architectural Design - Architectural firms could collaborate with writing contests or pop-up writing residency programs to further explore the relationship between buildings and creative inspiration.