Aotearoa New Zealand’s National Writer-residency Organisation Announces Its 2023 Writers In Residence Programme

The Michael King Writers Centre is pleased to announce that next year’s programme of residencies at the historic Signalman’s House on Takarunga Mt Victoria in Devonport, Auckland, is now open for applications. Writers awarded a residency can look forward to peaceful accommodation, the use of a writing studio, a supporting stipend and the opportunity to focus on a specific writing project.

The 2023 programme offers 18 residencies to emerging and established writers for periods of two to eight weeks each. Highlights include: four residencies specifically for Māori or Pasifika writers. Following up on feedback from the literary community, including alumni, we are including a longer residency – offering an established writer an extended period of eight weeks in which to really immerse themselves in their writing, and to retreat at the special Michael King Writers Centre location.

Applications open Friday 26 August and close Monday 26 September. For the application form and more details see: https://writerscentre.org.nz/applications-2023-mkwc-residencies/

WHY DO WE OFFER THESE RESIDENCIES?

* The residency programme aims to support New Zealand writers and promote the development of high-quality New Zealand writing. Projects can be in a wide range of genres including non-fiction, fiction, children and young adult, drama and poetry.

* The residencies are offered with the assistance of Creative New Zealand.

WHO CAN APPLY?

* We actively seek and encourage all writers—diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective—to apply.

* Writers from all over New Zealand, including those who live in Auckland, are welcome to apply.

* The residencies are open to emerging, mid-career or established writers.

WHAT IS THE MICHAEL KING WRITERS CENTRE?

* Founded in 2005, the Centre was established to realise Michael King’s dream of having a residential retreat for New Zealand writers so that they would have time and money to work on a major project over an extended period.

* Over one hundred and thirty New Zealand writers have held residencies at the centre since 2005. These include David Eggleton (the current Poet Laureate for New Zealand), previous Poet Laureates Vincent O’Sullivan and Ian Wedde along with Booker prize winner Eleanor Catton. This year, nine of our alumni were long-listed in Aotearoa’s prestigious national book awards, the Ockhams. Four ended up on the short list; Gigi Fenster, Whiti Hereaka, Serie Barford and Anne Kennedy with Whiti going on to win the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction with her residency project, Kurangaituku. Jordan Hamel recently received a Fulbright Scholarship to complete a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Michigan.

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