The federal state of Hesse has maintained both economic and cultural contacts with its European partner regions for many years. These include the regions of Emilia Romagna - Bologna in Italy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Bordeaux in France and Wielkopolska - Poznán in Poland, as well as a cultural agreement with the Republic of Lithuania. In addition, literary projects were launched with Romania and the Czech Republic in 2006 and 2007.

To intensify intercultural contacts, the "Hessian Literature Scholarship" was launched in summer 2005. It is supported by three partners: the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art, the state capital of Wiesbaden and the Hessian Literature Council.

The Hessian Literature Council arranges a scholarship stay in the Hessian state capital Wiesbaden for literary workers - authors, translators, playwrights, cultural journalists, literary mediators - from the above-mentioned partner regions as part of the state's partnership work. The scholarship holders live in an apartment at Villa Clementine.

The aim of the scholarship is to impart knowledge about the partner region on the basis of an intercultural dialog in Hesse. Return visits by literary professionals from Hessen to the partner regions to learn about the respective local conditions are part of the project.