Creative NZ Michael King Writers' Fellowship

7 December 2004

Call for applications to 2005 Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship

Creative New Zealand is calling for applications to the 2005 Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship, worth $100,000.

The Fellowship is open to established New Zealand writers who have published significant works of literature. It will be awarded for a project that will take two years or more to complete and includes fiction, children's fiction, poetry, drama, biography and history.

The Creative New Zealand Writers' Fellowship was established in 2003 and awarded to Timaru writer Owen Marshall to complete a collection of longer short stories.

Earlier this year, it was renamed the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship in recognition of the late Dr Michael King, his contribution to literature and his role in advocating for a major fellowship for New Zealand writers.

The 2004 recipient of the Creative New Zealand Michael Kings Writers' Fellowship was Wellington writer Vincent O'Sullivan. Receiving the Fellowship, O'Sullivan said that it gave him "total liberty to spend a couple of years devoted to researching and writing three works. There's still some essential research to be done out of New Zealand and the fellowship makes that possible."

The Fellowship is the result of the Government's additional funding of $1 million (inc. GST) per year to the literary sector. The rest of the funding was used to boost the New Zealand Authors' Fund, establish the annual Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement, and develop and implement a strategy to increase audiences and markets for New Zealand literature.

Applications to the Creative New Zealand Michael Kings Writers' Fellowship will be assessed by an expert literary panel and their recommendations will be forwarded to the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand for the final decision.

Applications close at 5pm on 26 March 2005. Application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from the resources section of Creative New Zealand's website (www.creativenz.govt.nz) or you can contact Danielle Tolson (Tel: 04-473 0184 Email: daniellet@creativenz.govt.nz).

ENDS

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