The programme
Our writer-in-residency programme on Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean, invites authors from a wide range of genres — including literary fiction, poetry, children’s and young adult literature, cookbooks, non-fiction, and travel writing — to spend two months on this Dutch Caribbean island focusing on their work.
The residency provides free, comfortable housing with essential amenities, including utilities (gas, electricity and water), Wi-Fi/internet, and weekly cleaning. The house offers plenty of privacy, allowing the author to work and unwind.
During these two months, the author will be free to experience Curaçao and work in peace. Stichting (Foundation) Enkanto will serve as the author’s first point of contact and act as an intermediary when needed. To ensure that the outcomes of the residency have the best chance of reaching a wider readership, we welcome applications from authors who have published at least one book with a recognised publishing house.
In return, we ask the author to dedicate two to four half-days to activities organised by Stichting Enkanto. These may include:
- participating in an interview for the foundation’s podcast;
- being available for a public conversation or lecture about their work (possibly followed by a book-signing session if the author wishes to promote and sell their publications); and
- leading or co-leading a workshop for local participants — for example, a creative writing session for emerging writers, a cooking workshop with culinary students (in the case of a cookbook author), or a reading session for children at a local school or the Curaçao Children’s Museum (in the case of a children’s book author).
In return, we ask the author to dedicate two to four half-days to activities organised by Stichting Enkanto. These may include:
- participating in an interview for the foundation’s podcast;
- being available for a public conversation or lecture about their work (possibly followed by a book-signing session if the author wishes to promote and sell their publications); and
- leading or co-leading a workshop for local participants — for example, a creative writing session for emerging writers, a cooking workshop with culinary students (in the case of a cookbook author), or a reading session for children at a local school or the Curaçao Children’s Museum (in the case of a children’s book author).
About Foundation Enkanto
Stichting Enkanto, a foundation based in Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean, was established in spring 2025 with the aim of facilitating a writer-in-residence programme starting January 2026.
Apply here
We look forward to welcoming dedicated authors to our writer-in-residency programme on Curaçao.
About Curaçao
The first thing that comes to mind for many when they hear the name Curaçao is the world-famous Curaçao liqueur. For others, it conjures memories of sun-drenched holidays on golden beaches, the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and the ever-present cooling breeze. Curaçao offers all this – and so much more.