Created in partnership with Slemani City of Literature, The INKubator is a virtual writers’ room connecting 5 writers from Slemani and 5 writers from Melbourne. This writers’ room will explore the process of creating a literary character. The writers will reflect their cities to the group through the original creation of a character that will inspire their colleagues in their sister City. Participants will work together to create a new work inspired by each other’s ideas, which will be published online and across Iraq, Australia and the Cities of Literature network. The project has 4 stages:
  1. Creation: The 5 writers from Melbourne and 5 from Slemani draft a character based in the here and now of their country.
  2. Inspiration: Over 12 weeks each writer presents their character to the group in a hosted virtual writer’s room.  The presentation involves pictures, text and description to fully inspire the rest of the writers room.
  3. Connection: Each writer uses the inspiration from the other country to create a new short piece of writing
  4. Creation: The writers write a new piece of writing to be published online and across the countries of Iraq and Australia and across the UNESCO Cities of Literature network.
The INKubator is modeled on the Melbourne City of Literature Office past virtual writers’ rooms which promote connection and collaboration and have proven successful in connecting across cultures.

Each participant will receive AUD$1500.

The writer’s room will run weekly on Fridays (11am Slemani time, 6pm (AEST) Melbourne time*) from 15 August until 24 October 2025, with final pieces published as an e-publication in December.

*Please note that daylight savings will occur on 6 October and change the virtual writers’ room time to 7pm (AEDT) in Melbourne from then on.

Expressions of interest close on Monday 16th June 2025 9:00pm (AEST).

Please apply via this link: Apply Here

You can see a blank example of the form here.

If you have any questions, please email Director David Ryding.