NZ’s National Writer-residency Organisation Announces Its 2021 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 2021 programme offers 17 residencies to emerging and established writers for periods of two to 12 weeks each. Highlights include: four residencies specifically for Māori or Pasifika writers. Following up on feedback from alumni, we are re-introducing a prestigious longer residency – offering an established writer an extended period of 12 weeks in which to really immerse themselves in their writing, and to retreat at the special Michael King Writers Centre location.

Applications open Friday 21 August and close Monday 21 September. For the application form and more details see: https://writerscentre.org.nz/residency-programme-applications/

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.

* Ninety-five 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, who wrote the final draft of her novel The Luminaries at the Centre. Recent resident, Jane Arthur, had her first poetry collection; Craven, published in September 2019 and it went on to win The Jessie Mackay Prize for best first book of Poetry at the 2020 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

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