The Creative New Zealand/College of Education Children’s Writer in Residence fellowship is the only one of its kind in New Zealand and supports gifted writers to work full time on producing quality children’s literature.
It has long been funded via grants from Creative New Zealand, but the college’s latest application to the government agency was turned down.
This year’s resident, Samantha Montgomerie, said it was a devastating blow for the future of the residency and children’s writers.
"The news of the withdrawal of funding and its subsequent impact on the residency is devastating.
"For myself, it provides a much-needed space to create a developed piece of writing, away from the hectic demands of my other job as a teacher.
"It gives me space to research, write and think creatively."
She said the residency also acknowledged the importance of quality children’s literature in creating a literary and literate nation.
"It acknowledges that what New Zealand children’s authors create, matters — that our stories matter, that our tamariki seeing themselves in books matters.
"All of this has a flow-on effect for literacy and the richness of our literary landscape."
She said working from an office at the College of Education allowed the resident to connect with people passionate about education and young people.
"Getting children reading, and fostering our creatives at the heart of what gets them reading, is what we value.
"A succession of prominent children’s writers who have been in residence here, have produced valuable additions to the New Zealand children’s literature landscape due to their time here.
"There is simply too much to lose with the loss of this residency."
University of Otago College of Education dean Prof Vivienne Anderson said the residency included a stipend in line with a six-month lecturing salary, along with an office at the College of Education and rent-free accommodation provided in the historic Robert Lord Cottage, in Titan St.
She said Creative NZ had funded the stipend for many years.
However, the college’s most recent application to Creative New Zealand for the stipend was unsuccessful.
"The college has provided its own contingency funding for this year’s residency, because the timing meant the 2025 residency was offered before the Creative New Zealand funding outcome was known."
It was not known why the application was turned down this year, she said.
"While not securing funding from Creative New Zealand is disappointing, we want to express our gratitude for the support we have received from them over many years.
"The external grant environment is increasingly challenging across the board, so our loss of this grant is no exception, sadly."
She said the residency was the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and had resulted in quality literature for children and increased the profile of children’s literature locally and nationally.
The residency had supported 37 writers and illustrators to date, starting with Ruth Corrin in 1992.
Other award-winning residents include Jack Lasenby (1995), Pauline Cartwright (2003), Kyle Mewburn (2011), Leonie Agnew (2013), Robyn Belton (2015) and Heather McQuillan (2021).
Prof Anderson said the university was committed to seeking alternative funding, to resume "this important Children’s Writer in Residence in 2027 and beyond".
"A fundraising campaign to build an endowment fund for the Children’s Writer in Residence is now under way.
