Hawke’s Bay Readers & Writers Trust, in conjunction with Black Barn Retreats, is excited to invite applications for the second ever Rush Cottage Writers’ Residency. The online application form opens March 10th, and the team urges writers to act promptly, as the cut-off is 50 and last year they received that number in three days!
“We set a maximum limit because we are a small volunteer team,” says Hawke’s Bay Readers& Writers Trust Chair, Catherine Robertson. “But we thought it would take a couple of weeks to reach it, rather than a couple of days. We had to disappoint quite a few writers who only just missed out.”
This year, writers can apply online, and will know immediately whether their application is one of the 50 accepted. If the maximum is not reached this year, then the official close off is 5pm Sunday 16th March.
This year, the residency must be taken from Monday 19th-Monday 26th May 2025. It includes seven free nights’ accommodation at Rush Cottage, generously donated by Black Barn Retreats, and a stipend of NZD$1000 (including GST) to support the writer’s time.
Applications are invited from writers who are currently resident in Aotearoa, working on any of the following forms: short stories, the novel, poetry, creative non-fiction, memoir and graphic novels. Applicants will need to provide a link to one work already published/self-published that is currently publicly available to Aotearoa readers.
Last year’s winner, Sonia Yoshioka Braid, says: “Winning The Rush Cottage Writers’ Residency in 2024 was such a surprise and a delight! It gave me the opportunity to actually slow down and focus, pulling together the thoughts and ideas that had been bouncing around my brain for so long, but seemed to get lost in the everyday bustle of life.
“I felt a sense of tranquillity sitting inside Rush Cottage, staring out across the vineyards. I finally had uninterrupted time to think, and write. I had been given permission to research, write, and ruminate. I also had access to delicious food and wine if I wanted a break, and the timing of the Residency meant I could stoke up the wood fire, or go out for bracing, mind-clearing early morning walks in the surrounding countryside.
“Time is a gift that we often don’t recognise until it’s too late. The Rush Cottage Writers’ Residency offers up time, a beautiful creative space, and a supportive community who are chomping at the bit to read your work. It is inspiring and reaffirming.
“I am so grateful to everyone involved with the Rush Cottage Writers Residency – the Hawke’s Bay Readers and Writers Trust, and Black Barn Retreats – for creating such a wonderful opportunity. They are rare and precious. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of applying to dive right in, and quickly. There’s no time to waste!”
All information can be found here:
Rush Cottage Writers Residency | Hawke’s Bay Readers and Writers
