The University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence is a six-month Fellowship for children's writers who normally live in New Zealand.
History and conditions
This residency was first offered in 1992 when it was run by the Dunedin College of Education, with Ruth Corrin being the first recipient. It is the only such residency offered to a children's writer by any tertiary institution in New Zealand, and is awarded for a six-month period between February and August each year. The award includes a stipend of $28,000 (funded by the University of Otago and Creative New Zealand) and the use of an office within the College of Education.
In 2017, Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature won a bid for a free stand at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, and writers who had held the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children's Writing Residency were highlighted and celebrated in the display.
In 2025 it was announced that Creative New Zealand had declined further funding, putting the future of the residency in doubt." The university self-funded the 2025 residency, as it had already been awarded to Samantha Montgomerie when the funding decision was notified. No fellowship was offered in 2026, and the university instead launched a fundraising drive to build an endowment fund to support the fellowship, intending to offer it again from 2027.
The Robert Lord Cottage
The recipient of the residency has the option, if wanted, of rent-free accommodation in the Robert Lord Cottage. This hundred-year-old brick cottage at 3 Titan Street, Dunedin North, was once owned by New Zealand playwright Robert Lord. Before his death in 1992, Lord set up the ‘Writers Cottage Trust’ with the aim of allowing the cottage to be used in the future as a rent-free home for writers-in-residence.
Recipients During her residency, Diana Noonan wrote for the School Journal, later becoming its editor, and Leonie Agnew was inspired to set her 2021 novel The Memory Thief in Dunedin's Botanic Garden. Swapna Haddow wrote three picture books, a junior novel and a middle grade novel during her fellowship. Ella West used her residency to write Night Vision, which won the Children's Choice (Young Adult) award in 2015.
The writers who have been the Otago College of Education / Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence are as follows: 1992Ruth Corrin1993Diana Noonan1994Paula Boock1995Jack Lasenby1996Ken Catran1997Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira1998Janice Marriott and William Taylor 1999Fleur Beale2000David Elliot 2001Penelope Todd2002Sandy McKay2003Pauline Cartwright and David Hill2004Brigid Lowry2005Margaret Beames and Shirley Corlett2006Tania Roxborogh2007Vincent Ford2008Bill O'Brien2009Joanna Orwin2010Karen Trebilcock (Ella West)2011Kyle Mewburn2012James Norcliffe2013Leonie Agnew2014Melinda Szymanik2015Jennifer Beck and Robyn Belton2016Barbara Else2017Mere Whaanga2018Raymond Huber2019Fifi Colston2020Elena de Roo2021Heather McQuillan2022Swapna Haddow2023 Ruth Paul2024Feana Tu'akoi2025Samantha Montgomerie2026No fellowship offered
See also Robert Burns Fellowship
References