Feminist and working-class stories, poetry as song, and a deeper understanding of New Zealand art – these are just some of the frontiers explored by this year’s winners of the Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement. The 2018 awards include two ANZL members: poet Wystan Curnow and admired poet, publisher and librettist Michael Harlow. Beloved Māori dramatist and fiction writer Renée, revered critic and curator, completes the winning selection. Each will be awarded $60,000 in recognition of their outstanding contribution to New Zealand literature. Renée will be honoured for fiction, Wystan Curnow for non-fiction, and Michael Harlow for poetry. The awards will be presented at a ceremony at Premier House in Wellington on Monday 15 October. A full list of previous recipients can be found on the Creative New Zealand website. The recipients of the 2018 Prime Ministers Awards for Literary Achievement will read and discuss their work with Radio New Zealand journalist and Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan at a free event at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, Wellington on Tuesday 16 October, 12-12.45pm. All welcome.
'The thirty-five of us were in the country of dream-merchants, and strange things were bound to happen.' - Anne Kennedy