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UNESCO Cities of Literature Ljubljana and Angoulême, in cooperation with the French Institute in Ljubljana, are pleased to announce that a professional jury has selected two comic creators who will be granted a one-month creative residency. Jeanne Sterkers will spend a month in Ljubljana, while Martin Ramoveš will spend a month in Angoulême.

Jeanne Sterkers (1998) is an illustrator and comic artist active in the collectives La Fourrière and Girlxcott. In Ljubljana, she will focus primarily on researching and developing the artistic language for a more extensive comic project to be published by Actes Sud. The jury was impressed by her unique artistic expression, which relies on the blending of carefully selected colors and often merely suggested outlines. The sequence of her panels allows for rhythmic pauses where natural or urban landscapes take center stage, making a significant contribution to building the atmosphere even without words. An exhibition of Jeanne Sterkers’ work will be on display in October at the gallery of the Center of Illustration at the Vodnik Homestead in Šiška.

Martin Ramoveš (1989) is a comic artist and musician. He has published several graphic novels, often in connection with music – most recently three albums from a cycle of five local tales about the dark and by no means idyllic past of the Slovenian countryside. The cycle, which draws inspiration from the history of the Poljanska Valley above Škofja Loka and local oral folklore, is a collaborative effort by Martin and Janez Ramoveš. Martin Ramoveš convinced the jury with his articulateness, dedication, and broader artistic vision. The drawing style in his latest albums is based on sharp strokes, strong contrasts, and cross-hatching that create a somewhat dark atmosphere. This effect is further enhanced by silhouettes that cleverly alternate between positive and negative space.

We would like to thank everyone who applied. The high quality of the applications not only attests to the vitality of the comic scenes in Slovenia and France, but also confirms the importance of this project. This exchange in the field of comics offers a stimulating environment for uninterrupted creation, an opportunity for knowledge sharing, increased visibility, promotion, and international networking.

In 2026, the increasingly popular Ljubljana UNESCO City of Literature Writer in the Park residency program received an exceptional number of applications from all over the world. One hundred writers from 30 Cities of Literature applied to spend a month in Ljubljana. The residency program offers space in a creative environment for uninterrupted work at any stage of the writing process and provides opportunities for insight into the local literary scene. For 2026, the selection committee has invited Mariken Heitman from the Netherlands and Tim Craven from the UK as guests of the international Writer in the Park residency in Ljubljana.

Mariken Heitman (1983) studied biology in Utrecht and for several years worked in organic agriculture. She has published three award-winning novels and also writes essays, short stories, columns, and book reviews. The committee particularly praised Heitman’s clear style and command of challenging topics, as well as her exploration of the multilayered relationship between the individual, society, and nature. Specifically, Mariken Heitman is exploring themes related to humanity’s place in nature in the context of agriculture and religion.

“I am currently working on a novel in which I combine an autofictional storyline with a fictional narrative, set in the late Iron Age. I am deeply fascinated by the disturbed relationship between humans and nature. This relationship can best be explored where humans and nature most emphatically meet: agriculture. As a biologist and gardener, I am struck by how much nature is seen as a backdrop these days. Yet we, as human organisms, are completely dependent on nature. Even now that everything is under pressure due to the climate crisis, nature remains at a distance: it must be saved, conquered, or exploited.”

Tim Craven is an award-winning poet (Scottish National Book Award, Forward Prize) exploring class, masculinity, and mental health. He has a background in neuroscience. In his work, he uses scientific observation to investigate interior experience. The committee was impressed by Tim Craven’s precise poetic language, as unassuming as it is impactful, which quietly deconstructs cultural expectations and internalized behaviours.

“My current creative focus is the development of a poetry collection that examines modern masculinity and the ways inherited ideas about strength, restraint, and emotional control continue to shape contemporary life. The poems will explore the tension between older models of composure and toughness and the contemporary language of openness and vulnerability, focusing on moments where those frameworks come into conflict. Rather than arguing a position, the work attends closely to everyday situations – habits of speech, omissions, and small acts of control – where these pressures quietly surface.”

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The cities with the most applications were Kraków, followed by Barcelona and Edinburgh. The majority of applicants were aged 40–49, with the youngest in the 20–29 age group and the oldest in the 70–79 age group. Because the program’s call for applications allows applicants to describe their relationship to the chosen City of Literature, more than 40 nationalities were represented.

This year, several applicants explicitly mentioned interests in topics such as displacement, migration, and identity, critically engaging with histories of oppression and climate change. Regarding the importance of artist-in-residence programs, many applicants emphasized the need to escape daily routines that often interfere with their creative process.

What

Ljubljana boasts a vibrant art scene and offers an array of diverse literary events, ranging from alternative performances to major international festivals. The highly regarded residency, established in 2018, provides peace and quiet for uninterrupted writing, while also offering opportunities to actively participate in the city’s literary life.


When

The Writer in the Park program consists of two one-month residencies. The residency periods are April 1–30, 2026, and November 1–30, 2026. The dates are non-negotiable, but a shorter stay is possible if required due to travel arrangements. Extra nights cannot be covered by the organizer, though organizational assistance can be provided.


Who

The residency is aimed at foreign published writers with a palpable, factual relation with any of the other UNESCO Cities of Literature that has to be apparent and described as part of the application. This means the applicant is or has been living in one of the other cities of literature for a longer period of time or is related to a city of literature through work.

The applicant must have published at least one book of fiction (be it prose, poetry or drama) in their language. There are no restrictions regarding age, race, gender, nationality or other personal/aesthetic preferences. Though writers of all genres are currently welcome to apply, a specific focus might be chosen for calls in the following years.

This residency program is designed to cultivate international literary exchange by offering writers a dedicated space for the development of new work and the opportunity to engage with the local community. To maintain this international focus, we regrettably cannot accept applications from writers based in Ljubljana or Celje. We encourage our local colleagues to explore residency opportunities within the wider UNESCO Cities of Literature network; please feel free to contact us for information on upcoming dates or follow our website for updates.


What we offer

Each resident will get a sum amount of the grant and travel expenses of €1250 gross in total (details regarding potential wire-transfer charges and other expenses can be found in the contract that can be sent to the applicant upon request). Each resident will stay in their own, separate and fully equipped apartment with a kitchenette at Švicarija, possibly along other residents, artists, and exhibitions hosted at the premises.


How

We only accept applications through the online form.

Deadline for submissions: January 19, 2026.

For more information, consult the form.
 

The 53 designated Creative Cities of Literature from 39 countries across the globe are delighted to welcome ten additional Cities of Literature to their literary family.
Today UNESCO has announced the designation of 58 new Creative Cities in total across eight artforms to join its Creative Cities Network, making for a total of 408 Creative Cities from more than 100 countries worldwide.
Among these new Creative Cities, ten have been designated in Literature: Aberystwyth (Wales); Abuja (Nigeria); Celje (Slovenia); Conakry (Guinea); Dumaguete City (Philippines); Gdańsk (Poland); Kahramanmaraş (Türkiye); Lund (Sweden); San Luis Potosi (Mexico); and Tangier (Morocco).


The UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature extend their congratulations and a warm welcome to their new sibling Cities and look forward to collaborating to promote the power of literature for sustainable and inclusive societies.

Kjartan Már Ómarsson, Program Manager of Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature and Creative Cities of Literature Network Lead says:

“We warmly welcome the new Cities of Literature to our global network. Their creativity, diversity, and commitment to the written word will strengthen our collective mission to place culture and storytelling at the heart of sustainable and inclusive urban development.”