For any questions regarding our positions, please contact Dr. Erin Elizabeth Smith at erin@sundresspublications.com.
Writer in Residence, Sundress Academy for the Arts
Deadline: April 15, 2025
The Sundress Academy for the Arts at Firefly Farms, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is looking for a Writer in Residence to run from August 17th, 2025 through January 3rd, 2026 and consist of approximately 10-20 hours of work per week. Residents will live on ground at Firefly Farms, sharing our two-bedroom farmhouse with a rotating roster of short-term residents.
The Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) is an entirely volunteer-run organization that hosts residencies, workshops. and retreats centered on the literary arts. The Writer in Residence’s responsibilities would include daily maintenance of the farm including feeding and caring for farm animals; cleaning and maintaining the farmhouse; greeting and educating residents on their responsibilities; answering resident questions; picking up groceries; and assisting with farm projects that may include construction, fencing, gardening, etc.
Qualifications include:
- Graduate or undergraduate work in Creative Writing or English
- Outgoing and social personality
- Passion for the outdoors and animals
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to self-start on projects
- Experience with farming and/or residency programs a plus
While this position is unpaid, it includes room and board for the four months of residence. The Writer in Residence must also provide their own transportation to and from the grocery store. Please note that pets are not allowed.
To apply, please send a resume, a brief writing sample (no more than 15 pages), contact information for two references, and a cover letter detailing your interest in the position to the Executive Director, Erin Elizabeth Smith at erin@sundresspublications.com. Applications are due April 15, 2025.
For more information, visit our website at www.sundressacademyforthearts.com.
Coordinator, Poets in Pajamas
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Poets in Pajamas is a Sundress Publications reading series and the first ever entirely online reading series. Founded in 2017, Poets in Pajamas is a free, online reading series run through Zoom that connects readers and writers across the world from the comfort of their own pajamas. Readings take place twice per month at 7PM ET and can be found on our YouTube page.
The Poets in Pajamas Coordinator is responsible for curating and leading monthly, online reading series. Beginning in January, Coordinators read through submissions and plan out the year’s readings, spanning March through November. Coordinator Assistants should expect to work on press releases, graphics, communications with readers, editorial curation, and engaging with readers during events. Alongside strong communication skills, this position requires a passion for poetry and making poetry readings comfortable and accessible to all.
Qualifications for the position include:
- Experience with Zoom, Canva, and the Google Suite
- Experience with WordPress a plus
- Strong written communication skills
- Knowledge of contemporary literature
Applicants are welcome to telecommunicate and therefore are not restricted to living in any particular location. We are especially interested in applications from writers of color, transgender and nonbinary writers, and writers with disabilities.
Sundress Publications is staffed entirely by passionate volunteers, so this position, as with all positions at the press, is unpaid, though occasionally there is grant funding for our coordinators.
To apply, please send a CV and a brief cover letter detailing your interest in the position to our Executive Director, Erin Elizabeth Smith, at erin@sundresspublications.com. Applications are due by April 15, 2025.
Development Director
Deadline: May 1, 2025
An extension of Sundress Publications, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit publication group founded in 2000, the Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) is an writers’ residency on a 45-acre farm in Knoxville, Tennessee, that offers residencies to writers in all genres including literary, nonfiction, journalism, and academic. With two residency rooms and a dry cabin on site, we offer a rotating space for nationally recognized and emerging artists in multiple disciplines. SAFTA also hosts virtual workshops, a reading series, and yearly retreats.
This position will run for one year from your start date with a chance to be renewed the following year. The development director’s responsibilities includes working with a team of interns and other directors to research grant opportunities, help with drafting grant proposals and close-outs, coordinate between SAFTA department heads, work with our budget office, create new fundraising opportunities, and lead a team to write, edit, and submit national, regional, and local grants.
Qualifications include:
- Strong organizational, creative problem-solving, and written communication skills
- Familiarity with online research
- A keen eye for grammar, punctuation, and syntax
- A passion for contemporary literature and community arts programs
Previous experience with arts administration and/or grant writing is greatly preferred but not required Applicants are welcome to telecommunicate and therefore are not restricted to living in the Knoxville area. We are especially interested in applications from writers of color, transgender and nonbinary writers, and writers with disabilities.
While this is an unpaid position, all directorships with SAFTA gain real-world experience with a nationally recognized press and arts organization while creating a portfolio of work for future employment opportunities. Directors will also be able to attend all retreats at the Sundress Academy for the Arts for free.
To apply, please send a resume and a brief cover letter detailing your interest in the position to Erin Elizabeth Smith at erin@sundresspublications.com Applications are due by May 1, 2025.