Media Release
10 October 2018
Michael King Writers Centre 2019 Residency Recipients Announced
From a history of the Listener to a series of inter-linked short stories exploring the Māori diaspora, the participants
in the 2019 MKWC residency programme cover an exciting, varied and eclectic range of topics.
Aotearoa’s National Writers Centre is particularly delighted that in 2019 we will host more writers at the Devonport,
Auckland house than ever before. Twenty-one opportunities will be offered to a diverse mix of emerging and established
writers: historians, memoirists, essay writers, fiction writers, poets and dramatists.
New in this year’s programme is the splitting of the University of Auckland/MKWC Residency into four time slots
throughout the year, in order to attract a wider range of established writers. In 2019 we will welcome playwright Gary
Henderson, novelist Emma Neale, non-fiction writer Jenni Quilter, and historian Joanne Drayton.
Other writers to receive residencies include Diane Brown, Ivy Alvarez, Dominic Hoey, Philippa Werry, Gigi Fenster and
Murray Edmond.
Of the many interesting and exciting projects these writers will be working on, Philippa Werry is focusing on a
non-fiction children’s book about the New Zealand women’s suffrage movement. Joanne Drayton’s project takes a look at
New Zealand history through the lens of the Listener - both the story of a publication, and the celebration of a
maturing nation, from 1939 to the present day.
The Pasifika residencies will be held by Makareta Brown and Mariana Isara, who will each spend two weeks at the centre.
The recipients of the Māori writers’ residencies are Colleen Lenihan and Jade Kake. Jade’s project explores experiences
of indigeneity, race and racism in the diaspora. The novel-length work will be structured around 12 thematically linked
short stories.
Other writers awarded residencies are Rachel O’Neill, Yvette Walker, Steven Toussaint, Meagan France and Rijula Das.
For a full list of the 2019 residencies see https://writerscentre.org.nz/about-our-residency-programme/
All of the residencies are available thanks to support from Creative New Zealand.
The Michael King Writers Centre thanks all applicants and wishes all our residency recipients the best of luck with
their work.
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