Creative New Zealand is inviting nominations for writers who have made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand literature in the categories of non-fiction, poetry or fiction. Writers can also nominate themselves. $60,000 is awarded in each genre.

Those nominated must be New Zealand citizens or residents.

This year Creative New Zealand has improved the process for nomination and selection to give greater transparency and accuracy of information. Nominators must now include a statement of up to 500 words about why they are nominating a writer.

The nominations are assessed by an external panel of literary experts who then forward their recommendations to the Arts Council of Creative New Zealand for approval.

The awards are presented by the Prime Minister in a formal ceremony later in the year.

In 2018 poet, publisher and librettist Michael Harlow received the award for Poetry, critic, curator and poet Wystan Curnow for Non-Fiction, and dramatist and fiction writer Renée for Fiction.

As Renée says, “Shine a light e hoa, nominate a writer for this amazing award.”

See the full list of previous winners

Nominations close on Friday, 26 April at 5pm.

Nominate a writer now

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kimberley Brady
Senior Communications and Advocacy Adviser
Ph: 04 473 9738
kimberley.brady@creativenz.govt.nz

More details: here

Deadline: 28th February

Poetry Shelf 2019 will resume poetry coverage in the next week or so with new features and old.

I will flag the arrival of all new NZ poetry books that are sent to me and review/interview some. Publishers or poets can send books to PO Box 95078 Swanson Waitakere 0653

I will also host a Poetry Shelf NOTICEBOARD – poetry events and poetry news. Send copy to paulajoygreen@gmail.com

I am continuing the Monday Poem slot but I do not accept unsolicited poems at the moment.

On Tuesdays I will pay attention to  New Books. And throughout the week!

On Wednesdays I am introducing  Poetry Classics where poets and poetry fans get to share NZ poems or poetry books they have loved.

Poetry Audio spot continues on Thursdays.

On Fridays I am hosting Poetry Talk where a poet or poetry fan gets to talk about something that sparks them in the gloriously wide wide fields of poetry.

The blog will continue to have a NZ/Aotearoa focus but will also celebrate international poetry.

Dream pile: to post poetry videos! Let me know if you can do this!

ha p p y   p o e t r y   d a y s

Paula Green

 
Campfire stories in colossal scale. Intimacy against grand backdrops. Poetry connects us through time, history, scale and location.

Get up close and far with Auckland’s best writers and performers in the one night only show Long Distance Phone Calls. Programmed by Vanessa Crofskey and MC’d by Grace Taylor (Full Broken Bloom, Afakasi Speaks), this unique evening features talent such as Manu Vaea (FAFSWAG), Kyla Dela Cruz (Mouth:Tongue:Teeth), Stevie Davis-Tana (South Auckland Poet’s Collective), Phodiso Dintwe (Rising Voices), the girls of Ngā Hinepūkōrero (Word – The Frontline Interschool Slam Champions 2018) and renowned performance poet Carrie Rudzinski exploring belonging and connection.