Joanna Elmy selected as European Literary Map of London Writer in Residence

We are delighted to announce Bulgarian-born author and journalist Joanna Elmy as our inaugural Writer in Residence, offered in the context of the European Literary Map of London and the European Writers’ Festival, which UCL European Institute and UCL Arts and Humanities will be formally partnering on for the first time this year.

Joanna’s novel, written during her years in university, received a prestigious Bulgarian prize for emerging literature in 2022 and was shortlisted for several other national awards. During her four-week stay at UCL (24 April – 22 May), Joanna will engage with academics across faculties, and develop her second novel which features London prominently and explores ‘cities of the world’ – a modern take on urban spaces partly inspired by Italo Calvino’s approach to writing the city.

“UCL and the European Literature Network are creating a rare and priceless opportunity for me to engage with specific aspects of my current work while immersed in an environment of culture and knowledge related to London and our broader European heritage. It is also an important step towards broadening our perceptions of the city, the continent, what it means to be European and how literature can help us translate all of this into personal meaning. I am beyond grateful to have been selected, and also hopeful that such projects are being conceived in times when we seem more prone than ever to forgetting just how crucial literature is for the survival of our humanity – in all senses of the word.

Joanna Elmy, UCL European Literary Map of London Writer in Residence 2024

Brokered by the European Institute, the Residency is the product of a partnership with Rosie Goldsmith, curator of the European Writers’ Festival and Director of the European Literature Network and EUNIC London.

Rosie Goldsmith said: “Joanna’s originality and energy stood out for me from the outset. As a young novelist and journalist from Bulgaria - a country of great storytellers deserving of more recognition – she is also engaged in international affairs and a fluent English speaker. We couldn’t wish for a better first Writer in Residence.”

EUNIC London Vice President Marios Theocharous added: "We're delighted to champion the European Literary Map of London: Writer in Residency Programme. This initiative signifies our commitment to nurturing diverse voices and fostering cultural dialogue within London's vibrant literary community."

Accommodation for the duration of the Residency period will be provided by the Goethe-Institut London. Gosia Cabaj, Head of the Information Services Northwestern Europe Region at the Goethe-Institut, said: “As Germany’s cultural institute, we are very much looking forward to hosting Joanna and learning about her work and the perception of European heritage.”

The programme is designed to support new writing on London from a European perspective, with the aim of further diversifying the European Literary Map of London, an online interactive map featuring over 80 text extracts about London originally written in 20 different European languages, developed by the European Institute, UCL Arts and Humanities and the Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, and with each location the site of a real or imagined encounter with London by a European writer.

Lucy Shackleton, Head of Public Policy and Partnerships at UCL European Institute, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Bulgarian author Joanna Elmy, writing at the interface of several languages and literary cultures, as our first Writer in Residence, linked to the European Writers’ Festival and UCL’s European Literary Map of London project.

“Joanna’s interest in the interplay between culture, identity and place; between otherness and nostalgia – and her commitment to supporting polyphony in world literature - makes her the ideal candidate to spend time at UCL, and we look forward to facilitating exchange between the UCL academic community and this exciting writer.”

We are grateful for the support of our external collaborators, as well as the many teams across UCL, notably the London Office, Grand Challenges and Global Engagement, whose support made this project possible.

Links

• Joanna Elmy's profile
• UCL European Literary Map of London
• Lucy Shackleton's profile
• Rosie Goldsmith's profile
• European Writers’ Festival 2024
• European Literature Network 
• European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC) 

• The Goethe-Institut UK
  
  Photograph: Joanna Elmy, UCL's new Writer in Residence
  Credit: Boryana Pandova for VIJ Magazine