Kim Anderson Awarded Deaf And Disabled Artists Fellowship 2025

Illustrator, designer and writer Kim Anderson is the recipient of the $10,000 Whakahoa Kaitoi Whanaketanga Creative New Zealand Deaf and Disabled Artist Fellowship 2025, announced today by Arts Access Aotearoa.

Based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Kim Anderson (aka Kim Can Draw) is of Māori and Singaporean Chinese descent. She says the Fellowship provides her with the “time, energy and resourcing” needed to develop a graphic novel.

Her graphic novel will explore themes of identity, mental health, neurodivergence and growing up as a mixed-culture kid in Aotearoa. Combining personal narrative, philosophy and reflection, the work will draw on her experience across zines, essays, comics and visual storytelling.

“As a writer and illustrator, I’ve been itching to explore graphic novels as a medium for these themes,” Kim says. “But I’ve never had the time, money or capacity to dedicate to such a large project.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity for me, only possible through something like this Fellowship. If you know about the Spoon Theory, it’s like having a drawerful of extra spoons dropped into my lap. I am deeply appreciative of the financial and creative support from Arts Access Aotearoa and Creative New Zealand.”

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Over the rest of 2025, Kim plans to produce five to six illustrated chapters, supported by research, illustration and editing. The Fellowship will enable Kim to pause her freelance work during the final months of the project so she can dedicate time to completing, refining and publishing the novel.

Arts Access Aotearoa Executive Director Richard Benge says the Fellowship supports Deaf and disabled artists to take creative risks and develop ambitious work.

“Kim has a wealth of experience and skills to draw on and I’m pleased this Fellowship means she can spend the time needed to focus on her exciting project,” Richard says.

The Fellowship attracted 23 high-calibre applications. They were assessed by an external panel, made up of arts practitioners and people with relevant expertise.

Commenting on Kim’s proposal, the panel said: “Kim’s proposal stood out for its clarity of vision, originality and depth of thought. Her project speaks directly to the power of storytelling as a form of connection and advocacy.”

Kim is the graphic designer for The D*List, an online disability culture magazine, and has contributed illustrations and writing to publications such as Freerange Journal and Everything That Moves, Moves Through Another.

Her work also features in zinefests and across her digital platforms.

The Whakahoa Kaitoi Whanaketanga Creative New Zealand Deaf and Disabled Artist Fellowship recognises the contribution of Deaf and disabled artists to the arts in Aotearoa and supports them to develop their practice through a significant project.

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