Acclaimed Poet Alison Glenny To Begin Residency In Dunedin

Dunedin will soon be welcoming renowned poet Alison Glenny, who will be in residence from November to mid-December as the recipient of the 2024 Caselberg Trust Margaret Egan Cities of Literature Writers Residency.

This prestigious residency, awarded by the Caselberg Trust and Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature, offers writers a unique opportunity to work on a substantial piece of creative writing, and engage with Dunedin’s literary heritage and dynamic writing community.

The distinguished poet and author will reside in beautiful Caselberg House in Whakaohorahi/Broad Bay, where she will spend six weeks immersed in the exquisite landscapes of the Otago Peninsula as inspiration for her latest project.

Reflecting on her upcoming stay, Alison shared, “I feel both humbled and excited by the opportunity to take inspiration for a new project from the beautiful natural and urban landscapes of Ōtepoti Dunedin.”

Alison, who lives on the Kāpiti Coast, has previously published two collections of poetry including an Antarctic-themed collection of prose poems and fragments The Farewell Tourist which was awarded the Kathleen Grattan prize for a collection of poetry, and was published by Otago University Press in 2018. Her third collection, /slanted (Compound Press), is due out this month.

The writer’s visit is possible through a generous bequest to the Caselberg Trust by the late Margaret Egan.

The Residency, in its second year, is offered annually for a period of six weeks to writers from other UNESCO Cities of Literature and to Aotearoa New Zealand writers in alternating years. Alison’s residency is particularly special as 2024 marks the City of Literature’s 10th anniversary, with the poet being the first writer from Aotearoa to receive the residency to date.

In 2025, the judges will again select a resident from one of the other 52 Cities of Literature.

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