August 5, 2025

Emerging Māori Writer in Residence

Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te AoInternational Institute of Modern Letters

Apply for the Emerging Māori Writer in Residence—$15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space.

Applications now open for the 2025 Emerging Māori Writer in Residence—apply by 31 October 2025.

About the residency

The Emerging Māori Writer’s Residency was established in 2019 by Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, with the support of Creative New Zealand. It runs for three months in the first half of each year, funding dependent, and includes a writing room, a mentor from the Māori arts community, and a stipend of $15,000. Projects may be written in English or te reo Māori and the residency is open to Māori writers in all areas of literary activity, including drama, fiction and poetry (page and performance), devised performance, creative nonfiction, literary translation, and graphic novels, but excluding writing for film or television.

Applicants should be writers at an early stage of their career, with a growing body of work, and must be either New Zealand citizens or hold permanent residency. There is no restriction on the occupation of applicants, but they should not be full-time employees of Creative New Zealand or the University, nor have been employed on a full-time basis by the University in the twelve months prior to the closing date.

Our 2025 resident was Dr Pounamu Jade Aikman (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Te Arawa, Ngāti Uenukukōpako).

See the full role description and application form on the Current Vacancies page of the University’s website. Enquiries can be directed to modernletters@vuw.ac.nz.

We also offer the three-month Emerging Pasifika Writer’s Residency, and the full-year Victoria University of Wellington/Creative New Zealand Writer’s Residency on an annual basis.