sending writers to antarctica

In his novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon did a terrific job of evoking – in great detail – the landscape and particulars of life at a naval air station in Antarctica.

Had he been there to experience the place?  I don’t know the answer to that; based on the references he cites in his Author’s Note, I’m going to guess no. I’ll leave it for another post to explore the ramifications of writing about a place you haven’t experienced firsthand.  It brings up all kinds of questions about authenticity and imagination, reality and the fictional construct – questions I find endlessly interesting.

But as far as that chilly place goes, you might be able to get yourself there, for free, under the auspices of the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers Program.  Here’s how they describe it:

The purpose of the Antarctic Artists and Writers Program is to enable serious writings and works of art that exemplify the Antarctic heritage of humankind. In particular, the program seeks to increase public understanding of the Antarctic region, including the continent and the surrounding oceans, as well as the associated research and education endeavors.

The Antarctic Artists and Writers Program provides opportunities for professional artists and writers to travel to Antarctica — at research stations, field camps, and aboard ships — to make the observations necessary to complete their proposed projects. While the majority of award recipients are established artists and writers, the program also seeks to support early career artists and writers in an effort to broaden participation.

The program funds air travel to and from the point of embarkation, provides gear appropriate to the environment, feeds you on board the ship as you travel to and return from Antartica, and pretty much covers what you need, short of personal effects, while you’re at the field station.

It’s a federal grant, so you apply through grants.gov.  And while they do consider your previous accomplishments, they’re open to writers and artists who haven’t racked up significant credentials, yet, too.  The chief criteria seem to be the intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed activity.

Gretchen Legler, who teaches creative writing at the University of Maine, Farmington, was one of those lucky individuals selected for the program.  ON THE ICE, her book of personal nonfiction, was the result.  She also put together a website with exercises and examples for writers interested in place.

I’ll admit, I’ve got a hankering to find myself in Antarctica one day.  I’m keeping this opportunity in mind. 

Leave a Comment