Nesta Launches Alternarratives Prize for UK Writers

Nesta wants to unearth the future of cutting-edge short-form storytelling, encouraging writers to think beyond the Word document and use all the tools at their disposal to tell stories in new and exciting ways. The Alternarratives programme offers a chance for writers to consider the future of storytelling and make use of new technologies or formats.

In its pilot year, the prize will encourage storytellers to imagine how short-form fiction could help re-engage young people at secondary school, aged 11-16, with the act of reading for pleasure.

Proposals should be submitted for work that can be experienced in a conclusive form within 10 minutes, consumable via a platform that is readily available, such as a smartphone, tablet or computer. Works do not have to be digital but Nesta is excluding linear written documents in Word or equivalent.

Alternarratives is open to organisations and individual creators and writers living and working within the UK. Ideas can be fiction or non-fiction and Nesta strongly encourages entries from writers who do not normally consider their work within the ‘Young Adult’ genre and entries that encourage collaboration.

There will be 10 projects in the initial longlist who will each receive a £1,000 R&D bursary to develop their ideas into final works over a development phase. There will then be a shortlisting process from these final works to select three final projects. From that shortlist, one winner will be chosen and awarded £15,000.

The deadline for applications to be submitted is 9am on Monday 13 January 2020.

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.