Mahy to Judge Writing Competition

26 April 2007

Mahy to Judge Writing Competition

Secondary students entering this year's Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Awards can look forward to their stories being read by one of the nation's most beloved and respected writers.

Margaret Mahy is judge for the young writer's category of the country's most prestigious short fiction competition. The opening date for submissions is 1 May.

Dame Fiona Kidman as premier category judge and Jane Westaway judging the novice category make a stellar line-up for the 2007 writing awards.

Bank of New Zealand head of corporate relations, Fiona CooperClarke says this year's judging panel could be the strongest yet in the awards' 49 year history.

'Those entering this year's Bank of New Zealand's Katherine Mansfield Awards will have their stories read, and critiqued by some of New Zealand's very best writers. This is fitting for an award that carries the name of our most famous writer.'

The awards comprise three categories: premier with a prize value of $10,000, novice worth $1,500 and the young writer category which is open to secondary school students and carries a prize of $1,500 and the same amount for the winner's school.

In addition to the cash prize, the premier winner joins a veritable who's who of the New Zealand writing community. Former winners of this prize include CK Stead, Vincent O' Sullivan, Maurice Shadbolt, Frank Sargeson and Keri Hulme.

Entries close on 30 June.

The Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Awards are New Zealand's longest running creative writing awards. The Awards commemorate New Zealand's best known writer, and help New Zealand writers achieve recognition in their own country.

The Bank has sponsored the awards since their inception in 1959; Sir Harold Beauchamp, Katherine Mansfield's father was the first Bank of New Zealand Chairman of Directors, a position he held for seventeen years.

The award winners' will be announced at a ceremony on 4 October at The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington.

Entry forms and competition terms and conditions can be found at any Bank of New Zealand branch, in libraries nationwide or by going to www.bnz.co.nz/kmawards.

ENDS

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