Toi Pōneke is proud to announce Abi King-Jones as the 2019 Write Room Wellington Screenwriter’s Residency recipient. Abi will be in residence at Toi Poneke for 12 weeks, where she will be provided with a grant, studio space and experienced creative

support from Producers; Desray Armstrong, Vicky Pope, and Director Rob Sarkies who make up the selection and mentoring panel. Abi's project Out of the Vaipe, the Deadwater, is a feature adaptation of the memoir of the same name by acclaimed Samoan writer Albert Wendt.

Abi is a New Zealand born and raised Palagi with Samoan ancestry. She has 15 years experience making feature documentaries, and she has a Bachelor in Film, Television and Media Studies from Auckland University.

The inaugural recipient of the Write Room Residency was Harry Meech in 2018.

Toi Pōneke Arts Centre currently run three other residency programmes to support Wellington based arts practitioners across a variety of mediums. A Sound Art Residency in partnership with Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music, and a Dance Residency in partnership with NZ School of Dance, and a Visual Arts Residency with an exhibition outcome at Toi Pōneke Gallery. For more information on these residencies head to Toi Pōneke’s support and opportunities page.