City of Vienna - Subsidies for Literature - Elias Canetti Scholarships of the City of Vienna

Elias Canetti Scholarship of the City of Vienna

You will receive 18,000 EUR per year, paid monthly, to work on a major literary project. The fellowship runs for one year and may be extended for up to three years. Every year, the Vienna Cultural Office (MA 7) awards four of these grants in honour of Elias Canetti, the Nobel Prize winner for Literature. The aim is to give established writers the freedom to concentrate fully on their writing over an extended period.

Who can apply

• What you do: You are an author and are working on a major literary project. This call for submissions is aimed at authors, not students; therefore, there are no requirements regarding your field of study or university.
• Track record: You have already published several works. Debut works are not eligible for funding here; a separate Vienna Literature Grant applies to these.
• Where you live: Your main place of residence has been in Vienna for at least three years.
• Age: You are at least 18.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, and the vacancy is open to all genders.
• Your project: You can describe a clear, independent literary project of your own.

How to apply

Apply online via the City of Vienna’s application portal between 1 and 31 August (until midnight). You may only submit one application or one renewal application per year. An independent panel of experts will assess the entries and propose the winners.

How realistic are your chances?

Only four scholarships are awarded each year. You must already be an established author with several published works to your name and have been living in Vienna for three years; the target group is therefore small, but competition within this group is fierce. If you clearly fit this profile and can present a compelling, original project, your chances are realistic. The jury makes its decision based on artistic criteria, so the quality of your work and your project idea are the most important factors.