Information for participants
Fundación Casa Wabi A. C. and Dharma Books + Publishing are pleased to announce the call for the fourth edition of the Casa Wabi – Dharma Books Narrative Award 2024. We have created this award with the intention of promoting and making visible the work of Spanish-speaking storytellers. This call is open to storytellers who wish to be part of the residency program of Fundación Casa Wabi A.C. and want to establish a dialogue with the surrounding communities.
The winner will receive an artistic residency at Casa Wabi where he/she will develop a community project that involves and benefits the communities of the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. The winning entry will be published in Dharma Books’ 2025 catalog as part of their narrative collection “El vuelacercas”.
About the conveners
Fundación Casa Wabi A. C. is an interdisciplinary project whose mission is to promote the exchange of ideas, fostering an open and constructive dialogue between national and international artists in a variety of practices and disciplines. The Foundation is headquartered in Puerto Escondido, on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, 800 km south of Mexico City. Situated between the mountains and the sea, the house and its grounds were designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Built in 2014 by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, its facilities include a multipurpose room, six studio bedrooms and a 50-acre sculpture garden, as well as different pavilions, including Alvaro Siza’s Mud Pavilion (Pritzker, 1995), the Guayacán Pavilion by Mexican studio Ambrosi-Etchegaray, Kengo Kuma’s Chicken Pavilion and the garden designed by Mexican architect Alberto Kalach.
Dharma Books is one of the most renowned Mexican publishers. It publishes books of narrative, poetry, essays and illustration. In its 7 years of existence it has published Pulitzer Prize winners, Booker Prize finalists, winners of the Ribera del Duero Prize, Bellas Artes de Literatura Awards and the Casa de las Américas Prize. Its catalog has more than 60 titles, including authors from different countries.
Who can apply?
This call is open to Spanish-speaking writers of short stories and novels. Only one work per participant will be accepted. Those who have already won prizes in past editions are not eligible to participate. In case you participate with a novel , the novel must have a minimum total length of 100 pages.
In case you participate with a short story, the book of short stories must have a minimum of 5 stories totaling at least 100 pages.
What format should my application have? The application must be sent in two digital folders in .zip format. Folders in Google Drive, Dropbox or any other medium other than the one mentioned above will not be accepted for any reason. The two folders must be sent in a single email.
The first one must include the following in PDF format, Times New Roman font in 12 pts and spacing in 1.5 pts:
- Signed letter expressing the legitimate authorship of the work (moral rights).
- Biography of the author with contact information.
- Synopsis of the work to be presented.
- Sample of at least 3 chapters of the novel or 3 short stories of the book. The theme is free choice. There is no limit on the number of pages; however, this sample must be significant with respect to the complete work to be presented.
The second must include only:
The complete work in PDF and Word format, Times New Roman font in 12 pts and 1.5 pts. spacing.
It is clarified that only acomplete and finished work will be awarded. Books in progress will not be considered, both in short stories and novels.
These documents should be sent to the following e-mail address: casawabi.dharmabooks@gmail.com -the conveners will not acknowledge receipt-.
Any doubts that may arise from this call will be resolved only through the same mail. Telephone calls will not be answered at either office.
Important note: once the winner is announced, the community project proposal will be defined and worked on directly with Fundación Casa Wabi A.C.
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts:
Submission of documents from April 12, 2024 to May 10, 2024. The deadline for receipt of submissions is May 10 at 11:55 p.m. Mexico City time.
When is the residency?
The residency will take place during the year 2025, and the exact stay will be defined according to two reasons: the availability of the person who wins, and his or her profile and affinity as a potential resident, considering that he or she will live with other resident artists.
Where should I send my application?
The application should be sent with the following subject line and heading: “IV Premio Narrativa Casa Wabi – Dharma Books” followed by the author’s first and last name (for example: IV Premio Narrativa Casa Wabi – Dharma Books Paul Auster), to casawabi.dharmabooks@gmail.com. The deadline for sending the request to the above-mentioned email is May 10, 2024 at 23:55 Mexico City time.
How will the winning artists be chosen?
The jury will base its decision on the quality of the works submitted. It is worth mentioning that, due to the nature of this award, it cannot be declared void. Works will be accepted as short stories or novels, as the case may be, and only one work will be selected. The winner will be notified by e-mail on June 21, 2024.
What will the prize include?
International flight to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca in case the person resides outside the country. Domestic flight to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca in case the person resides in Mexico. Lodging, study space and three meals per day. Each residence offers a comfortable private studio bedroom. Community project expenses will be covered. Publication of the winning work in the Dharma Books literary catalog in 2025.
Acceptance of the rules:
Participation in this call for entries implies full acceptance of the rules herein. Please consider that the residency is mandatory for the publication of the book. It is important to consider the time of the residency in calendar 2025.
Previous winners of the award:
- Olivia Teroba, with Pequeñas manifestaciones de luz ( 2021).
- Rafael Villegas, with Short, Elizabeth (2022).
- Maricela Guerrero*, with Bronce dorado ( 2023) *residency declined for personal reasons.
Where can I find information about previous artist residencies?
Details of previous artist residencies at Casa Wabi can be found at the following links:
To consult these rules visit:
