This year’s Michael King Writers Centre residency selection panel once again had their work cut out for them with over 100 applications received for the 16 residencies planned across 2025. There were 125 applicants totalling 613 individual applications across all of the available categories. A continuing trend is the high number of applicants in the emerging writers category. There is clearly a large and growing demand for developing writers to have an opportunity to retreat and work on their craft.

The Michael King Writers Centre Trust is looking forward to welcoming and hosting a diverse cohort of writers throughout the year.

Established writers to receive residencies are: Andrea Hotere, Ash Davida Jane, Emma Neale, Kerrin Sharpe, Marianne Schultz, Matariki Williams and Tina Shaw.

Emerging writers awarded a residency are: Ashlee Sturme, Hannah Marshall, Isla Huia, Jack Remiel Cottrell, Jason Gurney, Kerry Sunderland, Kirsteen Ure, Michelle Duff and Sam Orchard.

‘Reading and assessing this year’s applications was an enormous privilege for the selection panel’, says board of trustees Chair, Mel Winder. ‘We were energised and impressed by the quality of writing across a wide variety of projects; the future of NZ writing is looking brighter than ever’.

All residencies are made possible with thanks to support from Creative New Zealand and for the first time in 2025 the Emerging Writers Residencies will also be supported by Allen & Unwin and Hachette. The MKWC is truly grateful for this as it enables us to continue to help and sustain Aotearoa writers.

The Michael King Writers Centre thanks all applicants and wishes our residency recipients the very best of luck with their work.