Inaugural €7,000 award in partnership with Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann supports the creation of new poetic work through cross-disciplinary engagement
Facilitated by Business to Arts in partnership with engineering firm PFGi and Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, the bursary and commission reflect a shared belief that engineering and poetry, while often viewed as distinct disciplines, are both grounded in imagination, structure, and the shaping of ideas into form.
Grace Wells is an award-winning eco-poet and environmental writer. Nature, spirit-of- place, and the complexities of ecological crisis are the large themes of her writing. Grace has published three books of poetry with Dedalus Press, most recently in 2022, ’The Church of the Love of the World,’ which was shortlisted for the Farmgate Café National Poetry Award and the Laurel Prize. Grace is one of the co-creators of Hometree’s eco- arts project, ‘Dinnseanchas’, which is working to support community resilience in Ireland’s upland communities, and to restore temperate woodland landscapes across the West Coast.
Following a competitive open call process, Grace was selected by an expert panel of poets and engineering professionals, with the commissioned work to be developed over the coming months and a public unveiling anticipated in early 2027.
Marking the beginning of a new partnership between PFGi and Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, the bursary reflects a shared commitment to supporting ambitious creative practice and fostering new connections between industry and the arts. Over the coming months, Grace will develop a new commissioned poem through engagement with Process FGi. The completed work will be unveiled in early 2027 and shared through public and organisational platforms.
Business to Arts is proud to have worked with Process FGi and Poetry Ireland to develop this partnership. It demonstrates how businesses can support ambitious creative practice while opening up new conversations across disciplines.
“ I'm honoured and deeply grateful to PFGi, Poetry Ireland and Business to Arts for this generous bursary. I'm interested in how imagination, close attention, language and story can weave together with science, technology and industry as we respond creatively to the ecological and social challenges of our time and try our best to shape more resilient and meaningful futures for the entire community of life.”
“ At PFGi, we believe innovation is driven not only by technical excellence but also by curiosity, creativity and the ability to see challenges from new perspectives. We are delighted to partner with Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann on this award and to congratulate Grace Wells as its inaugural recipient. We hope this commission will inspire fresh conversations about the connections between engineering and creativity, and we look forward to working with Grace on the final commissioned piece.”
PFGi (Process Facilities Group International) is a process-led engineering consultancy headquartered in Cork, Ireland, delivering engineering solutions to clients across the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical and advanced manufacturing sectors worldwide. Founded in 2011, PFGi provides a comprehensive range of engineering services, from concept development and process design through to project delivery, commissioning and operational support.
With a reputation for engineering excellence, technical expertise and a collaborative approach, PFGi works with clients to solve complex challenges, improve performance and deliver sustainable long-term value. The company combines deep industry knowledge with innovative thinking to support the development of critical facilities and manufacturing environments across global markets.
