• Former Poet Laureate the supreme winner at 2020 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

    Former New Zealand Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh’s first book for children has been judged the supreme winner at the 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Mophead was awarded the highest prize in children’s publishing – The Margaret Mahy Book of the Year – during a virtual presentation this evening to […]

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  • Tāmaki Poems – New Zealand Poetry Society

    CALL FOR POEMS – Tāmaki Poems Press Release for New Zealand Poetry Society 11 August 2020   Tāmaki Poems is a community-generated poetry project, centred on a map of Auckland compiled by Mr Leslie Kelly in 1940. In the lead up to the opening of Tāmaki Herenga Waka – Auckland Stories early next year, our new permanent […]

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  • NZSA New Zealand Heritage Literary Awards 2020 – Open for entries

    NZSA Canterbury announces the 2020 NZSA New Zealand Heritage Book Awards are open for entries.  Now in its seventh year, this event is now firmly established on the New Zealand Literary calendar. Past winners have included Fiona Farrell, Fiona Kidman and Brian Turner – and last year’s major winners were Andrew Crowe for his beautiful […]

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  • Emerging Māori Writer in Residence at VIC- entries close October 30

    Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, is currently seeking an Emerging Māori Writer in Residence for three months in the first half of 2021.   This is an exciting new opportunity for emerging Māori Writers in Aotearoa. Applications are invited from Māori writers in all areas of literary activity, including drama, fiction and […]

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  • 2020 creative writing competition opens today Otago University

    Monday 20 July 2020 Have a go … the University’s annual creative writing competition for Otago students and staff opens today – with the theme “only connect…”. The University’s second annual creative writing competition for students and staff opens for entries today. Writer 2020 offers all staff and students at all of Otago’s campuses the opportunity […]

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  • Applications open for Te Papa Tupu 2020

    Once again, aspiring Māori writers have the opportunity to build their confidence in Te Papa Tupu, a writing programme developed by the Māori Literature Trust and administered by Huia Publishers.   Six chosen writers will spend six months working alongside a mentor to develop their manuscript and improve their writing skills, all to meet the […]

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  • Two to the Power of Five: The Power of Queer Words.

    Aotearoa’s only LGBTQI+ literary festival, Same Same but Different, is excited to announce a special online winter talk series later this month.  From July 24-26th, Two to the Power of Five: The Power of Queer Words pairs up fascinating queer writers for five fantastic online conversations. The sessions are all free and being held thanks […]

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  • BookBubble podcast: Tayi Tibble

       READING ROOM Stacy Gregg and Nicky Pellegrino continue their podcast series. Today: an interview with the talented Tayi Tibble. Wellington poet Tayi Tibble was 23 years old when she won the Ockham for best first book of poetry for Poūkahangatus. Of Te Whanau ā Apanui and Ngāti Porou descent, Tayi’s poems speak to beauty, activism, power and […]

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  • Creative New Zealand announces its COVID-19-driven investment plan for the next 12 months

    Close on the heels of a heavily subscribed $29 million emergency response to COVID-19, Creative New Zealand has announced further funding to help the arts sector adapt in uncertain and unpredictable times. Creative New Zealand will devote the additional $25 million in new money announced by the Government in May, to a 12-month programme of […]

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  • Going West Writers Festival 2020 Goes Virtual

    Going West Writers Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with the launch of its treasure trove of curated audio files, available via podcast to lovers of words and ideas from Friday, 19 June.   Festival producer, James Littlewood says the limitations brought about by COVID-19 prompted the team to pull together a long-held dream of bringing […]

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  • blackmail press call for submissions issue # 44 Spring 2020.

    In times of uncertainty, difficulty and change, artists and writers often hold the space to give voice to the speechless, shape to the invisible, meaning to the ambiguous.    blackmail press call for submissions issue # 44 Spring 2020. blackmail press is an online poetry journal, created to give poets, students and poetry lovers in […]

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  • AWARDS SHORTLIST PACKED WITH BOOKS THAT OFFER KIWI CHILDREN THE ESCAPE OF STORIES

    If ever there was a time that children needed the escape of stories, 2020 is it. Today’s announcement of the finalists for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults reveals an abundance of incredible storytelling for Kiwi kids to immerse themselves in.   The finalist books open their pages to make room […]

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