New Zealand writers' centre
The Michael King Writers Centre is a writing centre on the slope of Takarunga / Mount Victoria in Devonport , Auckland, New Zealand, which offers residencies to early career and experienced writers. It was established in 2005 in honour of New Zealand historian Michael King .
About the centre
The centre is based at the Signalman's House, a historic house built in 1898, on Takarunga / Mount Victoria in Devonport , Auckland.[1] [2]
As of November 2022[update] the centre had hosted around 140 writers-in-residence.[3] Residencies are of short length to encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds.[3] As of 2024[update] residencies are offered for between two and three weeks,[4] although in the past they have been offered for as long as six months.[5] The centre also offers short-term accommodation for visiting writers on a paying basis.[6] [7]
History
At the memorial service for historian and writer Michael King in 2004, Gordon McLauchlan suggested that a writers' centre in King's name should be set up.[8] The centre was established through a charitable trust; together with McLauchlan, founding trustees included Christine Cole Catley ,[9] Witi Ihimaera and Geoff Chapple .[10]
The centre officially opened in July 2005.[2] [3] The first writer-in-residence was Geoff Chapple.[11]
Between 2007 and 2020, University of Auckland residencies were offered at the centre, supported by Creative New Zealand , which required the writer to spend time at the university's English department.[12] [13] In 2010 the centre began offering Māori writers' residencies, developed with the assistance of Witi Ihimaera.[14] In July 2011 the centre offered a free week's residency for four writers affected by the Christchurch earthquake .[15]
In 2014, in partnership with several organisations including the Shanghai Writers' Association, the centre began running an exchange whereby Chinese writers could undertake a residency at the centre and New Zealand writers could undertake a residency in Shanghai .[11] In 2021 the centre announced a new exchange programme with Varuna, The Writers' House in the Blue Mountains, Sydney.[16] [17]
From 2008 to 2019 the centre offered a programme of workshops for young writers, and since 2012 has published a literary journal of students' work titled Signals .[18] [19] The programme was put on hold in 2020, and the centre has instead run the Signals Awards for writers aged 16 to 21.[19] [20] [21]
Notable residents
Notable recipients of Michael King Writers Centre residencies have included:
Rachel Barrowman (worked on biography of Maurice Gee , 2010)[22]
Ann Beaglehole (2009)[23]
Eleanor Catton (wrote the final draft of The Luminaries , 2012)[24]
Geoff Chapple (first resident, 2005)[11]
Gina Cole (established Pasifika writer-in-residence, 2021)[25]
Dick Corballis (worked on biography of Bruce Mason , 2008)[26]
Bill Direen (University of Auckland residency, 2010)[27]
David Eggleton (wrote Time of the Icebergs poetry collection, 2009)[28]
Chris Else (2012)[29]
Tracy Farr (2009, 2018, 2021)[30] [31]
Karyn Hay (2018)[32]
Whiti Hereaka (worked on play Rewena , 2012; finished draft of novel Kurangaituku , 2017)[33] [34]
Roger Horrocks (2015)[35]
Anna Jackson (2017)[36]
Jade Kake (emerging Māori writer-in-residence, 2019)[37]
Anne Kennedy (University of Auckland residency, 2014)[38]
Sarah Laing (worked on graphic novel about Katherine Mansfield , 2013; also 2008)[39]
Colleen Maria Lenihan (emerging Māori writer-in-residence, worked on short story collection Kōhine , 2019)[40]
Kirsten McDougall (2019)[41]
Fiona McGregor (through New Zealand-Australia writers' residency exchange, 2023)[17]
Frankie McMillan (University of Auckland residency, 2017)[42]
Arthur Meek (wrote play about Mary Martin , 2011)[43]
Kyle Mewburn (2021)[44]
Kelly Ana Morey (Māori writer-in-residence, completed novel Daylight Second , 2014)[45]
Vincent O'Sullivan (worked on biography of Ralph Hotere , 2009)[46]
Lawrence Patchett (emerging writer-in-residence, 2018)[47]
Joan Rosier-Jones (2008, 2010)[48]
Maria Samuela (emerging Pasifika writer-in-residence, 2020)[49]
Elspeth Sandys (2016)[50]
Ian Wedde (wrote novel The Catastrophe , 2009)[51]
Philippa Werry (2019)[52]
Mere Whaanga (Māori writer-in-residence, 2015)[53]
References
^ "Once upon a time..." The New Zealand Herald . 10 August 2013. p. D6. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ a b "The week ahead" . Sunday Star-Times . 17 July 2005. p. A11. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ a b c Chumko, André (26 November 2022). "The crucial luxury of the artist's residency" . Stuff . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "About Our Residency Programme" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Michael King Writer's Centre – Residency Deadline" . New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa . 6 October 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Writers Accommodation Bookings" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "NZ's national writer-residency organisation continues with an extended number of residencies in 2019" . Creative New Zealand . 12 August 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Writers' centre proposed to honour King" . The New Zealand Herald . 19 April 2004. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ Robinson, Michelle (7 August 2011). "Bright star of Kiwi writing battles wait" . Sunday Star-Times . p. A9. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "The Michael King Writers Centre Trust" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ a b c Chanwai-Earle, Lynda (17 October 2016). "Kiwi writer returns to the Shanghai rain" . Radio New Zealand . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Writers in residence" . The University of Auckland . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "The University of Auckland/Creative New Zealand Writer-in-Residence at the Michael King Writers' Centre 2011" . Creative New Zealand . 30 November 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "First Maori writer's residency at Michael King Writers' Centre" . The Big Idea . 17 December 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ Gates, Charlie (21 July 2011). "Treat offered to writers suffering 'quake brain' " . The Press . p. A6. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Michael King Writers Centre announces new international residency exchange opportunity with Varuna" . Kete Books . 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ a b Magrin, Federico (8 May 2023). "Kiwi writer in shock after being selected for international residency" . Taranaki Daily News . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ Pollock, Kerryn (22 October 2014). "Michael King Young Writers Programme, 2009" . Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ a b "History of the MKWC Young Writers Programme" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Signals Young Writers Awards 2021" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Signals Young Writers Awards 2023" . Michael King Writers Centre .
^ "Rachel Barrowman: 2010 Summer Writers Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 2 August 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Ann Beaglehole (2009)" . Michael King Writers Centre . 7 August 2009. Retrieved 20 September 2022 .
^ "Booker winner's North Shore link" . North Shore Times . 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ Tania (23 March 2021). "Gina Cole: 2021 Established Pasifika Writers Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Massey prof gets residency" . Manawatū Standard . 13 August 2008. p. 3. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "2010 Writer-in-Residence selected" . University of Auckland . 8 April 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Better or verse" . Sunday Star-Times . 17 April 2011. p. F10. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Chris Else" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Tracy Farr" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Tracy Farr: 2021 Late Winter Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 27 July 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ Dann, Jennifer (20 November 2018). "12 Questions: Author and media personality Karyn Hay" . The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Visiting Author: Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa)" . Publishers Association of New Zealand Inc . 20 November 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Michael King Writers' Centre 2017 Residency Recipients Announced" . Creative New Zealand . 21 November 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Roger Horrocks: 2015 Autumn Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 31 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Anna Jackson" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "$25,000 Writers' Award for 2021 has been awarded to writer, architectural designer, and housing advocate, Jade Kake" . The Big Idea . 1 September 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Anne Kennedy" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Author writes home about Palmy" . Manawatū Standard . 18 October 2018. p. 11. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Colleen Maria Lenihan: 2019 Emerging Māori Writers Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 12 February 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Kirsten McDougall" . Academy of New Zealand Literature . Retrieved 13 May 2023 .
^ "Frankie McMillan: 2017 University of Auckland Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 18 July 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2020 .
^ "Climbing life's ladders" . The New Zealand Herald . 2 July 2011. p. B14. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "The Michael King Writers Centre announces its Residencies for 2021" . New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa . 11 November 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Kelly Ana Morey" . Academy of New Zealand Literature . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Vincent O'Sullivan: 2009" . Michael King Writers Centre . 2 August 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Lawrence Patchett: 2018 Emerging Writers Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 11 July 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ Majurey, Erin (24 July 2015). "Esteemed author will host writing workshop" . The Daily Post . p. A7. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Maria Samuela: 2020 Emerging Pasifika Writers Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 10 November 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Elspeth Sandys" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
^ "Recipe for disaster" . The New Zealand Herald . 13 August 2011. p. B14. Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Philippa Werry" . Read NZ Te Pou Muramura . Retrieved 12 May 2024 .
^ "Mere Whaanga: 2015 Māori Writer's Residency" . Michael King Writers Centre . 31 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2024 .
External links