Writers in Residence
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The Centre's selection process is overseen by an independent panel, guided by its commitment to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and celebrating diverse voices.
"Reading and assessing this year's applications was an enormous privilege for the selection panel," says Melanee Winder, selection panellist and Chair of the MKWC Trust. "We were energised and impressed by the quality of writing across a wide variety of projects."
Emma Neale, a 2025 recipient, reflects: "I am enormously grateful for the way my time at the centre encouraged and catalysed my new project. The centre should be treasured by all Aotearoa writers and lovers of literature."
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The Michael King Writers Centre is proud to support 18 New Zealand writers through its 2026 residency programme, hosted at the historic Signalman's House in Devonport, Auckland. Selected from over 150 applicants across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama and writing for children, this year's recipients are:
Anne Kayes, Cassie Hart, Cello Forrester, Chris Tse, Claire Baylis, Connie Buchanan, Emma Hislop, Gina Butson, Jordan Hamel, Josie Shapiro, Kirsten McDougall, Kirsty Powell, Liv Sisson, Rebecca Hawkes, Sarah Ell, Sue Wootton, Trina Elkington-Ball, and Vincent O'Malley.
For eligibility, stipend and accommodation details, see About our Residency Programme.
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For a list of our alumni from 2005 to 2026, by first name see here.
Since the Centre opened in 2005, over 200 New Zealand writers have held supported residencies, with international residencies added from 2013 in association with the NZ China Friendship Society and Varuna House, NSW.Alumni include Eleanor Catton (final draft of The Luminaries, 2012), Whiti Hereaka (Kurangaituku, 2017) and biographer Rachel Barrowman, alongside Poet Laureates Vincent O'Sullivan, David Eggleton and Ian Wedde, and writers Gina Cole, Roger Horrocks, Ashleigh Young, Josh Pomare, Jane Arthur and Pip Adam.
Use the filter to select by year.
Kirsty Powell: 2026 Autumn Residency
Kirsty has published two novels – part historical novels and part contemporary and has published short stories and poems in anthologies. She won the 2020 New Zealand Book Lovers Award for best adult fiction.Whilst on her residency Kirsty is delighted
Tina Shaw: 2025 Autumn Residency
Tina, our sixth writer-in-residence for the year, is a novelist, short story writer and editor. Tina has received many awards for her work, including the CNZ Berlin Writers Residency, the University of Waikato Writer-In-Residence and the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship in Auckland. She won the 2
Hazel Phillips: 2024 Autumn Residency
Hazel, our eighth Writer-in-residence for the year, is the author of three books: Solo: Backcountry adventuring in Aotearoa New Zealand (MUP, 2022); Wild Westie (Penguin, 2014), a biography of Sir Bob Harvey; and Sell! (Penguin, 2013), a history of the advertising industry. She holds an MA in Media
Michele Powles: 2022 Autumn Residency
Our seventh resident for the year, Michele has been a writer, producer and dancer across the globe. Her fiction and non-fiction has been published widely across many mediums and broadcast for radio both in New Zealand and the UK.She was New Zealand’s 2010 Robert Burns Fellow, and as a screenwriter
Jared Davidson: 2021 Autumn Residency
Jared is an archivist, historian and writer based in Wellington. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Overland, History Workshop Journal, The Spinoff, Newsroom and other publications, while his recent book Dead Letters (Otago University Press, 2019) won the Bert Roth Award for Labour History and w
Albert Belz: 2020 Autumn Residency
Because of the Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions, Albert started his residency from home and was able to take up residence as we moved to Level 2. He is our 10th residency recipient for the year.Albert began his career as an actor before writing for stage and screen. An award-winning international pl
Elspeth Sandys: 2016 Autumn Residency
Elspeth has published eight novels, two collections of short stories and written numerous plays for radio (RNZ and BBC) and television. Her stage plays have been performed in England, the United States and New Zealand. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the ONZM for services to
Roger Horrocks: 2015 Autumn Residency
Roger Horrocks was founder and head of the Department of Film, Television and Media Studies at Auckland University, the largest department of its kind in New Zealand, and is Emeritus Professor. Ten years ago he retired early to write full time. He has written on many aspects of film, television, lit
Philip Braithwaite: 2015 Autumn Residency
Philip Braithwaite has been writing plays since 1999. In 2000 he won the New Zealand Young Playwrights’ Award. Amongst his other credits are the BBC World Service/British Council International Radio Playwriting Award 2001, and the Adam NZ Play Award 2013, for his play The Mercy Clause.Phil’s work