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Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand announces retirement of Publisher at Large, Jenny Hellen, and appointment of new Commissioning Editor, Rachel Nobilo
Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand would like to announce that Jenny Hellen will be retiring from her role as Publisher at Large in December 2026. Jenny has had a long and hugely successful publishing career of over 35 years, working with such authors as Chelsea Winter, Al Brown, Ruby Tui, Nadia Lim, Helen Clark, […]
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The next three years will define the future of NZ books and publishing
The Aotearoa New Zealand book sector says the next government has a defining opportunity: to lift literacy, grow local readership, and back a thriving literature ecosystem that produces New Zealand stories for New Zealand readers. “New Zealanders already love reading, and research consistently shows that reading participation is fundamental to our success as a nation,” […]
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ERITREA: NOBEL LAUREATES OLGA TOKARCZUK AND J.M. COETZEE JOIN PEN INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR PROOF OF LIFE FOR 12 WRITERS DISAPPEARED FOR 25 YEARS
PRESS RELEASE PEN INTERNATIONAL 18 SEPTEMBER 2026 176 writers from around the world, including Ben Okri, Isabel Allende, Anthony Doerr and Yann Martel, sign PEN International open letter to President Isaias Afwerki 18 September 2026, London: Nobel laureates Olga Tokarczuk and J.M. Coetzee, alongside leading international writers including Burhan Sonmez, President of PEN International, […]
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Ireland Wilson Sargeson Fellowships 2027
Calling all writers! Applications are now open for the 2027 Ireland Wilson Sargeson Fellowships Press release, 15 September 2026 The Frank Sargeson Trust is calling for applications from published New Zealand writers for the 2027 Ireland Wilson Sargeson Fellowships. These prestigious Fellowships, named in memory of New Zealand writers Frank Sargeson, Kevin Ireland and Phillip […]
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Tina Makereti Announced as 2026 Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellow
Friday 11 September 2026 Award-winning writer Tina Makereti (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore) has been named the 2026 Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellow, giving her the opportunity to live and write in Menton, southern France, for three months. One of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prestigious and long-running literary awards, the Fellowship provides a $43,000 grant […]
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Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa (TCA) Contestable Fund 2026 opens
Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa (TCA) makes up to $75,000 available annually to support strategic projects that grow Aotearoa New Zealand’s literary sector. The fund supports projects with clearly defined, measurable outcomes aligned with literary sector growth, such as: Developing professional skills for writers, including those who write for education audiences Growing export markets for Aotearoa New […]
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Coalition for Books releases New Voices sampler
A sampler has been released featuring the eight standout authors on the 2026 New Voices of Aotearoa list. The 2026 New Voices of Aotearoa are: Ōtaki-based writer and public servant Tīhema Baker (Raukawa te Au ki te Tonga, Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira) Auckland-based poet and storyteller Amber Esau (Ngāpuhi, Manase) Hastings award-winning […]
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2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize – Longlists announced
HISTORY REWRITTEN IN THE MARGINS AS STRONG HEROINES LEAD 2026 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE Historical Novel Society Australasia, in partnership with the generous ARA Group, are proud to announce the longlists across two major categories for the 2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize – the richest individual literary prize in Australasia. The chosen books span millennia, […]
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Sir Julius Vogel Award Winners announced – 2026
The winners of the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for 2026, recognizing works from the 2025 year, are below. Congratulations to the winners. Finalists The list of finalists is on our Sir Julius Vogel Award Finalists – 2026 page. Long list The long list of nominees is on our Sir Julius Vogel Award Long List – 2026 page. […]
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Applications Invited For 25th Anniversary of the Randell Cottage Writers Residency in 2027
September 1, 2026 Applications are now open for one of New Zealand’s top writing residencies: the 2027 Randell Cottage Writers Fellowship. The fellowship comprises a generous stipend of $32,000 and six months’ rent-free accommodation in one of Wellington’s oldest heritage homes, with potential to be accompanied by a partner or even a young family. The […]
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Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki Board of Trustees welcomes Sam Elworthy as Nicola Legat steps down
28 August 2026 Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki has appointed leading New Zealand publisher Sam Elworthy to its Board, as long-serving Board member Nicola Legat ONZM steps down after eighteen and a half years. During her tenure, Nicola has brought a wealth of publishing and sector expertise to the Festival, drawing on her leadership […]
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Poem charting emotional distance wins 2026 National Schools Poetry Award
28 August 2026 Xavier Tapsell, a Year 13 student from Tauranga Boys’ College, is the winner of the 2026 National Schools Poetry Award. His poem ‘The Left Spring’s Soft’ movingly portrays a parent and child struggling to bridge the gulf between them. “It’s about two people who’ve drifted so far apart neither of them really […]
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