07-08-2025
Aotearoa New Zealand's National Writer-Residency Organisation Announces Its 2026 Writers In Residence Programme
The Michael King Writers Centre is pleased to announce that next year's programme of residencies at the historic Signalman's House on Takarunga Mt Victoria in Devonport, Auckland, is now open for applications. Writers awarded a residency can look forward to peaceful accommodation, the use of a writing studio, a supporting stipend and the opportunity to focus on a specific writing project.
The 2026 programme offers 16 residencies to emerging and established writers for periods of two to three weeks. Awarded residencies will include up to four specifically for Māori or Pasifika writers.
Applications open Thursday 7 August and close Monday 1 September. For the application form and more details see:
WHY DO WE OFFER THESE RESIDENCIES?
* The residency programme aims to support New Zealand writers and promote the development of high-quality New Zealand writing. Projects can be in a wide range of genres including non-fiction, fiction, children and young adult, drama and poetry.
WHO CAN APPLY?
* We support diversity and actively encourage all writers from throughout New Zealand who are a New Zealand citizen or have New Zealand permanent residency to apply.
WHAT IS THE MICHAEL KING WRITERS CENTRE?
* Founded in 2005, the Centre was established to realise writer and historian Michael King's dream of having a residential retreat for New Zealand writers enabling time and money to work on a major project over an extended period.
* Over one hundred and eighty New Zealand writers have held residencies at the centre since 2005. These include Whiti Hereaka, winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2022 NZ Book Awards, David Eggleton (Poet Laureate for New Zealand 2019-2022), along with Booker prize winner Eleanor Catton. This year's Ockham NZ Book awards saw 43 books long-listed from 175 entries. Six of those long-listed were MKWC alumni. These included: Shilo Kino (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto), Laurence Fearnley, Tina Makereti (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore, Pākehā), Megan Dunn, Jason Gurney (Ngāpuhi) and Emma Neale. Emma went on to win The Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry.
