About the Open Call

Write On, Door County is pleased to offer the Dick Scuglik Memorial Residency and Scholarship to a poet or other writer with demonstrated ability and interest in ekphrastic writing. The residency is awarded annually in mid-June. The selected writer will be paired with a Door County visual artist. The artist and writer will share work with each other. Each will create new work in response to other's work prior to the start of the residency. During the residency, both writer and artist will participate in a public event at which the new work is shared, along with a conversation about the creative process. For 2026, the visual artist is Laurel Grey. While ekphrastic writing is most common in poetry, Write On welcomes applications from all genres, provided the work sample submitted fits the classification of ekphrasis.

What is Offered

A scholarship fund is available to assist the writer with travel expenses related to the residency. A small stipend and a grocery allowance are also included in the award.

Requirements

Eligibility Requirements: The contest is open to both published and unpublished writers. Writers must be at least 21 years of age. Writers may be currently enrolled in a graduate writing program. Writers must have demonstrated ability and interest in ekphrasis. Submission Requirements: Submit 10-15 pages of a work sample that demonstrates your ekphrastic writing (excerpts of longer works are acceptable). Include a statement of interest in ekphrastic writing (at least one paragraph but no more than three paragraphs). Include a list of publications, if any, highlighting published ekphrastic writing. Include a one-paragraph biographical statement.

How to Apply

To apply for the program, please click here: https://writeondoorcounty.submittable.com/forms/initial/edit/fc9f4005-0c07-45ee-9d9c-39c967825b19. Submission Requirements include: 10-15 pages of a work sample demonstrating ekphrastic writing; a statement of interest (1-3 paragraphs); a list of publications, if any, highlighting published ekphrastic writing; and a one-paragraph biographical statement.