Poets are being offered £1,000 each to create spoken-word performances inspired by Welsh railway lines, including the Cambrian Coast route.

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth is seeking four artists for its Along the Line project, which will explore the communities, landscapes and histories connected by railways.

Aberystwyth and Ceredigion received Wales's first UNESCO City of Literature designation in October 2025. The commission celebrates Aberystwyth and Ceredigion's UNESCO City of Literature designation and is funded by Transport for Wales.

One artist will be selected for each of four themes: the Cambrian Coast Line, the Heart of Wales Line, the North Wales Coast Line and Lost Lines, which focuses on former railway routes. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate a connection to their chosen line and consider how rail travel has shaped local identities, memories and the environment.

Successful poets will receive £1,000 and attend a research day at the National Library, where they can explore archives, photographs, maps, manuscripts and oral histories.

The library will cover reasonable travel expenses and subsistence costs associated with that visit.

Each artist must produce an original spoken-word piece lasting approximately three to five minutes, contribute to a professionally filmed performance and provide a short written statement.

Filming is expected to take place somewhere along, or meaningfully connected to, the route being explored.

Applications are welcomed from poets working in any language spoken in Wales, and the organisers particularly encourage people whose voices are underrepresented in literature and heritage.

Applicants must submit a statement of interest of no more than 500 words, a biography of up to 250 words and up to three examples of previous work.

The deadline for applications is 23 November, with successful applicants due to be notified by 11 December.

Full details are available on the National Library of Wales website.