Our fellowship program is dedicated to fostering emerging writers in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is open to writers of every genre, including fiction, nonfiction, memoir, journalism, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, et cetera. Writers who have demonstrated a commitment to their craft but who are not yet widely published are eligible. We particularly encourage writers of color, ethnic minorities, those who identify as LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and other members of communities historically underrepresented by the literary community to apply.

Up to six people will be selected for a fellowship term of twelve months, beginning on January 2, 2023 and ending on December 31, 2023. Fellows are offered unlimited access to no-cost open desk space at the Grotto and are considered full members during the duration of their fellowship.

In addition to working at the Grotto, fellows will also be paired with mentors to help with their transition into the Grotto community. Mentors will work with their fellows to identify goals for their works-in-progress and opportunities to explore during their time at the Grotto. These might include project check-ins with their mentor, volunteering for Grotto committees, participating in Grotto craft groups (e.g., journalism, short fiction, book publicity), or attending Grotto events (readings, lunches, etc.). At the end of the year, fellows will be invited to do a public reading at the Grotto to present the work they’ve done during their term.

Each fellow will be invited to apply to join the Grotto as a full-time member after successful completion of their fellowship. Our fellowship application will reopen in 2023.

Questions? Please contact us at sfgrottofellowship2023 (at) gmail (dot) com. If people have questions outside of the application period, they can email info (at) sfgrotto (dot) org.