• PANZ welcomes Courtney Sina Meredith as new Association Director

      The Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu is delighted to announce that Courtney Sina Meredith has been appointed as Association Director. PANZ President | Tumuaki Claire Murdoch says, “Courtney needs no introduction to Aotearoa’s literary community as a writer. However, what blew our panel away in a seriously competitive field of candidates […]

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  • Paul Goldsmith: It’s time for an arts and creative sector strategy, NZ Herald

     Byline: Paul Goldsmith is the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in […]

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  • Huia wins 2024 Bologna Prize, Best Children’s Publisher in Oceania region

    10 April 2024   Books+Publishing Huia Publishers, based in Aotearoa New Zealand, is the 2024 Oceania winner of the Bologna Prize (BOP) for the Best Children’s Publisher of the Year. The Māori-owned independent publisher has been operating since 1991, with a mission to ‘share stories that resonate with our people, that reflect our experiences and that value our culture and […]

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  • Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day & Award Winners

    Congratulations to all of the 2024 Storylines Award winners who were presented with their awards on Sunday 7 April at an event held at the National Library of NZ in Parnell, Auckland. The 2024 winners are; Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award: The Dragon Hunters written by James Russell, illustrated by Link Choi Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring […]

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  • PEN International releases War, Censorship, and Persecution caselist 2023

    The PEN International Case List 2023/2024, has been released, highlighting challenges for writers in global conflicts and emphasizing the need to safeguard freedom of expression, especially in war-torn regions. War, Censorship, and Persecution documents 122 cases of writers facing harassment, arrest, violence and even death worldwide. These include 26 people imprisoned, 23 detained, 22 harassed, 14 […]

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  • Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems 2023 captures the spirit of the times

      The latest edition of the online anthology Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems is now live, featuring 25 poems chosen by Poet Laureate Chris Tse from nearly 4000 published in 2023. “These are the poems that surprised and delighted me the most, that made me pause to sit in my own discomfort or revel […]

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  • Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day August 23

    The date for this year’s Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day is Friday 23 August. Event registrations and seed funding applications are now OPEN. Head over to www.poetryday.co.nz for registration forms, resources and more. Let’s come together to make poetry shine! #NZPoetryDay.

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  • 2024 Writer in Residence Ben Brown reconnects with heritage at Waikato 

      Dedicating the year to writing his first novel isn’t the only positive thing about being named the Kaipukahu University of Waikato Writer in Residence for 2024. Award-winning children’s author, poet and writer, Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Paoa), says this year is not only about writing a novel that’s been on […]

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  • New service to help local writers and artists protect their creative rights

    March 25  Only 12% of New Zealand creatives surveyed by Copyright Licensing NZ (CLNZ) are confident they know their rights when it comes to copyright. But failing to keep on top of crucial documentation and understand copyright implications can have serious financial consequences. A new offering aims to address this knowledge gap by making copyright […]

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  • Prominent writers pull out of PEN AMERICA literary festival, citing Gaza

      March 15, WASHINGTON POST: A group of writers including Lorrie Moore and Michelle Alexander announced Thursday that they are pulling out of this year’s PEN AMERICA World Voices Festival, citing the organizer’s inaction over the war in Gaza. In a letter published on Lit Hub, the writers criticized literary nonprofit PEN America for failing […]

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  • PEN International Case List 2023/2024: Unveiling the Persecution and Censorship of Writers Amid War

    2023/24 website statement   “The role that writers can play in times of uncertainty, diligently curating narratives to nourish empathy, encompassing glimpses of joy and ultimately offering the gift of hope, lacks formal recognition, and this lack of acknowledgement or coherent protections can ultimately decimate expression and propel rampant self-censorship.” Ma Thida, Chair of PEN […]

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  • Auckland Writers Festival announces unbeatable lineup for this year’s Festival – world’s top writers light up New Zealand this May

    The Auckland Writers Festival today unveils the full Festival programme with more than 40 international authors and 200 events live in Auckland this autumn   Full Festival programme is available here. The 2024 Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi O Tāmaki reveals one of the starriest lineups in years, inviting New Zealanders to spend a week with […]

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