David Malouf announced as second Muriel Spark International Fellow

The Scottish Arts Council is delighted to announce that David Malouf, the internationally renowned Australian novelist, short story writer and poet, has accepted the Scottish Arts Council’s invitation to visit Scotland this Autumn as the second Muriel Spark International Fellow. 

The late Dame Muriel Spark bestowed her name upon the Fellowship, which was established by the Scottish Arts Council in 2004, and the inaugural Fellow in 2006 was world-famous Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood.

David Malouf was born in Queensland, Australia, in 1934.  He is the author of 20 works of poetry, fiction, autobiography, and drama, and has won almost as many prestigious awards and prizes, including the Prix Femina Etranger and the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1991 for The Great World. Remembering Babylon won the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Prix Femina Etranger in 1994.  Amongst his many other acclaimed novels are Johnno (1975), and Harland’s Half Acre (1985).  He also wrote the librettos for the operas Voss (1986), based on the novel by Patrick White, and Baa Baa Black Sheep, with music by Michael Berkeley.  His latest book is the collection of short stories Every Move You Make (2006).

During his four week stay in Scotland from mid-September to mid-October, Malouf will appear in a ‘Meet the Author’ event at the Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Autumn programme; deliver a public lecture hosted by the University of Edinburgh; give a masterclass to students of Creative Writing at the University of St Andrew’s School of English; and appear in a ‘Selected Works’ event at the Scottish Poetry Library.

Much of Malouf’s work has strong Scottish resonances, reflecting the influence of Scottish immigrant communities on Australian life, language and culture. Anticipating his visit, he said: “‘I look forward, immensely, to being in Scotland for a time and will discover in it, as I have on past occasions, a kind of ‘homecoming’.”

Commenting on the Fellowship, Scottish Arts Council Head of Literature Dr Gavin Wallace sad:
“The Muriel Spark Fellowship extends and enriches Scotland’s strong traditions of international literary exchange by bringing leading world writers to Scotland to concentrate on their work, and to partake of the life of the literary community and encourage reciprocal inspiration.  We are deeply honoured that David Malouf has accepted the 2008 Fellowship.  He is truly one of the world’s finest writers, and one with a strong insight into Scottish writing, past and present, and the subtle inter-relations between Scotland and Australia.  We have much to learn from his great breadth of achievement and interests, and he will be warmly welcomed.”

Notes to editors

1. The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which was established by Royal Charter in 1994 and is also a Lottery distributor. The organisation serves the people of Scotland by fostering arts of excellence through investment, development, research and advocacy. Our corporate aims are: to support artists to fulfil their creative and business potential; to increase participation in the arts; and to place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning. We invest £60m each year, including £15 million of National Lottery funding. For more information visit: www.scottisharts.org.uk
   
2. The Muriel Spark International Fellowship, named after one of Scotland’s greatest novelists, hosts a one-month visit to Scotland by a leading world writer every two years, providing them with the opportunity to spend time concentrating on work while also taking part in a number of light public duties, including presenting masterclasses, readings and lectures. The Fellowship is funded by the Scottish Arts Council, and is strictly by invitation only.

Contact email(s)

media.office@scottisharts.org.uk

Issued by: Scottish Arts Council