Applications for IALA’s 2026 mentorship program are now open

2026-03-06 - 02:14

The International Armenian Literary Alliance’s sixth annual mentorship program will run from July 1 through Aug. 31, 2026, with mentorships for writers of the novel, short story, memoir, creative nonfiction and poetry, as well as literary translation from Eastern or Western Armenian into English, and vice versa. Mentors will read and provide feedback on their mentee’s writing and speak virtually with their mentee throughout the program to discuss the writing life, the mentee’s work and how to navigate the publishing industry. The program will culminate in IALA’s Emerging Writers Showcase, where mentees will share their work with a public audience. Applications are now open through March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. To date, IALA has paired a record number of emerging writers and translators with mentors, bringing the total number of people who have received mentorship in the past five years to 60. Mentors have included published authors such as Nancy Agabian, Sylvia Angelique Alajaji, Haig Chahinian, Talar Chahinian, Tina Demirdjian, Arminé Iknadossian, Nancy Kricorian, Gina Srmabekian, Dr. Alene Terzian-Zeitounian, Lori Yeghiayan Friedman and Aida Zilelian. “Mentorship, to me, is not simply about refining craft; it is about safeguarding continuity. Each year, we are not just pairing writers, we are preserving a literary lineage. We are making sure Armenian stories written in English, and increasingly across languages through translation, continue to evolve rather than disappear into silence,” says IALA’s mentorship program director Shahé Mankerian. “What excites me most is seeing mentorship become a true exchange, where emerging writers and established authors learn from one another across generations and geographies. In a world where diasporan identity is constantly renegotiated, this program has become a living bridge that strengthens our writers and our literary community.” To learn about the program guidelines and to apply, visit: armenianliterary.org/mp26 The International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA) supports and celebrates writers and translators around the world by fostering the development and distribution of Armenian literature in the English language, and in translation.