Hay Festival has announced the participants of Writers at Work 2025, a creative development programme for Welsh writers at Hay Festival this spring (22 May–1 June) with the support of Literature Wales and Folding Rock, funded by Arts Council of Wales.
Offering a fully-programmed ten days of creative development opportunities, Hay Festival Writers at Work allows the selected writers to engage in Festival events, attend workshops with publishers, agents and, crucially, with established international artists.
Open to writers working in English and Welsh across genres - fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry - this year’s 10 successful applicants are:
• Rosy Adams
• DUKE AL
• Jade E Bradford
• Gosia Buzzanca
• Tom Cardew
• Gemma June Howell
• Esyllt Lewis
• Hattie Morrisson
• Rebecca Thomas
• Rhys Thomas
Writers at Work is a Hay Festival project supported by Literature Wales – the national company for the development of literature – and run by writer Tiffany Murray.
Participants to date have achieved a spread of award wins and shortlistings, including the International Dylan Thomas Prize, Wales Book of the Year, The New Welsh Writing Award, the Wasafiri New Writing Prize, Wales Media Award, Welsh Rising Star Award, the Guardian’s Best New Novelists, and Creative Wales Award.
Established in 2016 to nurture Welsh talent writing in both languages, Writers at Work was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2025 will mark its seventh year.
Hay Festival CEO Julie Finch said: “As a charity Hay Festival exists to open access to creative inspiration around every corner. In this spirit, our spring Festival is a great convener of writers, curious readers and – crucially – creative opportunities such as our Writers at Work programme.
“We are delighted to unveil our 2025 participants: a snapshot of Wales’ rising writing stars who will experience a programme of activities tailored to their needs, guarding and growing our creative community for the future.”
Literature Wales Artistic Director Leusa Llewelyn said: “We’re delighted to be working with Hay Festival again this year on this inspiring programme for some of Wales’ most exciting up-and-coming writers.
“This diverse cohort of writers represents a snapshot of the incredible talent we have here in Wales, and we’re excited to see where this important platform and development opportunity takes them next.”
Hay Festival runs its 38th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with more than 600 events over 11 days, 22 May–1 June 2025.
Discover the full programme online now at hayfestival.org/hay-on-wye.