IOWŌ CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

In other words, Ōtaki | Kia rerekē te hua, Ōtaki (IOWŌ)

New Residencies for Storytellers

In other words, Ōtaki (IOWŌ) / Kia rerekē te hua, Ōtaki is delighted to launch its inaugural 10-day residency programme for five Aotearoa storytellers who work with words for positive social change.

If you’re a professional, mid-career to senior Aotearoa-based storyteller who works in fiction or non-fiction (poet, novelist, playwright, librettist, biographer, essayist, screenwriter, digital media content creator, or other) whose work reflects new positive ways of thinking about people, community, and the environment, we’d love to hear from you. Local storytellers are welcome to apply.

Who we are

IOWŌ is a not-for-profit incorporated society of Ōtaki residents with a passion for storytelling in all its forms. We’re running this event as a pilot in 2025, with a view to making it an annual affair.

What we offer:

● 10 nights for each successful applicant in your own individual beach bach at beautiful Ōtaki on the stunning Kāpiti Coast, from Friday 1 to Sunday 10 August (inclusive).

● Travel support to and from Ōtaki (within Aotearoa).

● A ‘care’ package provided by our local community and partners. This includes groceries, provisions and other essentials.

In rteurn, successful applicants are invited to connect with our community in a small bespoke event tailored to the applicant’s area of expertise, and to take part in a more significant public event held with other creatives and our wider community.

Applications

Applications open at 9am NZST Saturday 3 May 2025, and can be made at the IOWŌ website. They will close at 5pm NZST on Saturday 17 May 2025.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from professional, mid-career to senior Aotearoa-based storytellers, currently legally resident in Aotearoa and working in fiction or non-fiction, with an interest in positive social change. You could be a garden writer, playwright, essayist, composer, children’s author, screenwriter, journalist, blogger or a poet, for example. As this year is a pilot, we’re open to all forms – you just need to let us know how your work contributes to, or comments on, positive social change.

Applicants need to have at least one work already published/self-published/currently publicly available.

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday 30 May 2025.

NOTES

● Further details around eligibility and the residency itself can be found at

IOWO.org.nz/apply.

● For more information, contact: hello@iowo.org.nz.