Pacific Writers’ Residency at University of Hawai

Creative New Zealand and Fulbright announce Pacific Writers’ Residency at University of Hawaii

A new, $40,000 residency for New Zealand writers of Pacific Islands heritage, based at the Centre for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii, is the result of a partnership between Fulbright New Zealand, the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand and the University of Hawaii.

The organisations are calling for applications from Pacific writers across all genres, including playwrights, fiction and non-fiction writers, poets and screen writers, for the three-month 2004 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers’ Residency at the University of Hawaii. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Jennifer Gill says the residency reflects the potential of Pacific writing in New Zealand.

“This presents an excellent opportunity for a writer to work in a new environment,” she says. “It also recognises the valuable contribution that Pacific writers make to New Zealand literature.”

Hawaii is a hub for Pacific writing and has become a well-established centre for publishing the work of Pacific peoples. It is also an important link to mainland United States and has a flourishing indigenous culture.

Chief Executive of Creative New Zealand Elizabeth Kerr says the organisation is delighted to have formed a partnership with Fulbright New Zealand and the University of Hawaii.

“This residency will provide a tremendous boost to New Zealand’s Pacific writers and build on writing workshops we ran last year,” she says. “These workshops demonstrated a wealth of talent and range of voices in Pacific writing, and the need to provide opportunities for these writers to take their work to a new level.

“The residency will also help writers develop important networks and encourage the exchange of ideas between two Pacific nations.”

Recipients of the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers’ Residency at the University of Hawaii will have had work published or accepted for publication. In the case of scriptwriters or playwrights, they will have had their work performed or accepted for performance.

The recipient of the 2004 residency will undertake the programme from late August to late November. He or she will be expected to work on an approved project during this time and contribute to other opportunities provided by the residency.

There will also be an opportunity for professional development, including invitations to give lectures and interviews, make contact with suitable agents and publishers, and enhance the development of New Zealand Pacific literature.

On return from Hawaii, the recipient will be expected to have completed a significant amount of writing. The recipient will also be required to write a report, demonstrating the residency’s tangible benefits to New Zealand Pacific literature.

Applications close at 5pm Friday, 2 April 2004. For more details and application forms, please contact Anton Carter, Arts Adviser, Pacific Islands Arts, Creative New Zealand (Tel: 04-498 0729 Email: antonc@creativenz.govt.nz) or Peggy Tramposch, Programme Manager, Senior Scholar programme, Fulbright New Zealand (Tel: 04-494 1507 Email: peggy@fulbright.org.nz). You can also visit the Fulbright New Zealand website (www.fulbright.org.nz) for more information and application forms.

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