The Ockham NZ Book Awards are still seven months away - hell, some of the potential finalists may not even be published yet - but those who will decide upon the winners have been revealed.

The 12 judges for the 2025 award have been named - a respected crew of award-winning writers, journalists, reviewers, academics, curators and booksellers.

The panel for the richest prize in New Zealand literature - the $65,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction will be covered by novelist, short story writer and Massey University lecturer in creative writing Thom Conroy. He's joined by  The Women’s Bookshop owner and RNZ reviewer Carole Beu and author, educator and writing mentor Tania Roxborogh (Ngāti Porou). They will be joined in deciding the ultimate winner from their shortlist of four by an international judge.

Poet and writer David Eggleton will be convener for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry alongside fellow former Poet Laureate, novelist and short story writer Elizabeth Smither, as well as writer and editor Jordan Tricklebank (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Mahuta).

The General Non-Fiction Award will be judged by author, writer and facilitator Holly Walker (named as convenor); author, editor and historical researcher Ross Calman (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu); and communications professional, writer and editor Gilbert Wong.

The Illustrated Non-Fiction will be judged by former Alexander Turnbull chief librarian and author], convenor Chris Szekely; arts advocate and Arts Foundation GM Jessica Palalagi; and historian and social history curator Kirstie Ross.

New Zealand Book Awards Trust Chair Nicola Legat states  “These awards are high stakes for longlisted, shortlisted and winning authors and so it’s critical to get it right. These 12 fine judges have great depths of knowledge and diversities of experience, as befits their responsibilities."

With entries still open for books published between 1 September and the end of the year, the longlist will be announced in late January next year, before the shortlist of 16 books takes shape in March ahead of May's big event at the Auckland Writers Festival.

Understanding new Resale Royalties rules

One of the most long-awaited steps in giving visual artists more ownership of their work in this country is coming up fast.

The newly established Resale Royalties Aotearoa Toi Huarau (RRA)will collect and distribute royalties under the Resale Right for Visual Artists Act 2023 on behalf of eligible visual artists. from 1 December 2024.

While it's being celebrated in arts circles, many are still getting their head around how it will work and how it will apply to them.

RRA is eager to demystify the process so creatives to know their rights - and for buyers & sellers to know about their obligations when the scheme comes into effect. They've created a free online 'Town Hall' hui next week (Wednesday 18 September). 

RRA Executive Director Sam Irvine told The Lowdown "We are having a number of online town hall meetings to present who Resale Royalty Aotearoa is, the history of artist resale royalty and the scheme that is launching here in December, the legislation governing the scheme, how it will work and answer questions that have been sent in. We will continue to have these as we move toward launch on 1 December.

"Artist resale royalty will benefit the whole visual arts sector. Most other countries in the OECD already have an artist resale royalty scheme and have seen significant benefits to their visual arts communities as a result – that’s good for artists, art market professionals and collectors too."

While they're beginning to work on spreading the word publically, RRA has been busy getting everything in place since Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) were named the collection agency back in June. 

Irvine details "We have had excellent engagement and feedback from the major auction houses, other art market professionals, visual  artists and buyers and sellers of visual art."

Kōanga turns ten

Getting a festival up and running in this climate is never easy. Keeping one going is just as hard. Bringing one to a 10-year milestone - now that's worth celebrating.

The always heartfelt and passionate Kōanga Festival (running until 28 September) in Tāmaki Makaurau has had a lively start to its step into double digits. 

Billed as "the beating heart of Māori storytelling" - It started with their biggest ever Whānau day with close to 1000 attendees, and has seen the festival's first International Indigenous Exchange as well as a huge number of production partnerships, which is starting to become a hallmark of festival organisers and hosts Te Pou Theatre.

Festival Director Amber Curreen told The Lowdown " It's been a stellar start to the festival with so many moments to be proud of; line dancing with our kaumatua and young artists, bringing together the beautiful mahi toi on our opening night and seeing the smiling faces discovering stories around Te Pou on Whānau Day. 

"This is our biggest festival yet, I can't and CAN believe that we've made it to our tenth milestone! There's so much to be excited about and I feel like we've managed to honour our cornerstone events while also weaving in new and bigger works. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to witness new stories emerging and Tāmaki premieres this Kōanga."

Among the many highlights still to come, the inside oil is that Ngā Roriroi - from the much-loved Hone Kouka in partnership with Tawata Productions - will be one to watch out for, described as comical dance theatre work about one whānau’s relationship with their whenua.

With the event - extended to three and half weeks rather than the previous fortnight - taking place during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, it's an ideal time for events like a seminar on writing plays in te reo Māori. 

Throughout the ten years, Kōanga Festival has supported nearly fifty Māori playwrights, and ten plays have been fully produced after the workshops. This year, the festival had the most submissions, with 48 writers wanting the opportunity to workshop their plays.

The four chosen playwrights this year were Tawhi Thomas (Haere), Tui Matelau (WET), Turene Jones (The Ātaahua Store) and Rainton Oneroa (Marmite & Honey).

Waiata Anthems returns

With Te Wiki o te Reo Māori around the corner, then so must be one of the fast-growing staples on the creative calendar, the annual Waiata Anthems.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary with the vinyl release of the inaugural Waiata Anthems album, a range of new music and documentaries are being launched from nine Aotearoa artists - with a live performance set down for Auckland Museum on Friday (13 September). 

Among those in the class of 2024 is emerging singer/songwriter Nikau Grace, whose Rapua te Mea Ngaro is a pop waiata set to leave an impression. Still at school herself - Grace is determined to inspire the tamariki of Kawerau and celebrate the spark that makes each individual shine.

Grace told The Lowdown "Being part of the Waiata Anthems whānau means everything to me. It’s a privilege to contribute to the celebration and revitalisation of Te Reo Māori through music, which is so integral to my identity.

"I’m so excited to come together with my Waiata Anthems whānau this Friday to share what we have learnt and created over the past year, and to acknowledge all those who have supported our journey. I’m also extremely excited and grateful to be able to perform at the Auckland Museum. Amazing venue, amazing people - can’t wait!!"
 
Also part of this year's Waiata Anthems release are Tawaz, Jordyn with a Why, Dillastrate, Marei, Mā, MOHI, MAJIC and Chase Woods.

Far North getting its fix of fringe

The Whangārei Fringe has laid out its offerings for 2024 with its full programme ahead of this month's launch (27 September - 13 October).

Running every second year - this edition will see more than 110 events across 25 venues in the 17-day festival.

Along with the usual assortment of string going-ons from a range of well-known and emerging artists, a festival first will see a big-top circus tent house the programme’s many circus, cabaret and burlesque events - including a surreal act involving olives.

Whangārei Fringe co-founder and producer Laurel Devenie enthuses, “We’re so excited by the number of local people presenting new work and ideas this year, and also the number of great local venues, spaces and organisations who are coming on board to support the many different artists and community members participating.

“Fringe is a platform for elevating people's voices, celebrating the diverse community we live in and exploring new ways of exchanging stories."

Just over half of the festival’s events are by creatives from Te Tai Tokerau and performances extend as far afield as Hikurangi this year. 

Te Ao's Korea milestone

Highly regarded Aotearoa artist Shannon Te Ao is once again an international attraction, with his work, Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low), opened at the 15th Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, Korea.

Te Ao (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Wairangi, Te Pāpaka-a-Māui) told The Lowdown “I'm still buzzing after the excitement of the opening week's events of the Gwangju Biennale! I was really happy with the installation and the early reception of the work."

The 2016 Walters Prize winner continues "Our presentation seemed to offer a peaceful point of difference while still connecting to the ideas explored within the curated exhibition and events of the main pavilion. I met so many interesting artists, curators and the like. Highly recommended!”

At the opening reception for Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro), hosted by the New Zealand Embassy in Seoul, Ambassador Dawn Bennet highlighted that the participation of Aotearoa New Zealand in the Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, reflected the strong cultural ties, and mutual respect between New Zealand and South Korea. 

Curated by Karl Chitham and presented through a partnership between Te Tuhi, the Dowse Art Museum and the Office for Contemporary Art Aotearoa, the exhibition will continue until December 2024.

Footnote gets a foothold

After four years without a home base, Footnote New Zealand Dance is transient no more.

And they have one of Wellington's favourite creative couples to thank for it.

They're moving into the heart of Pōneke's creative scene in Cuba Street - due to a group of donors that includes Dame Fran Walsh and Sir Peter Jackson. 

"We are incredibly grateful to all of our generous donors for their support in making this move possible," said Zoë Nicholson, General Manager of Footnote New Zealand Dance. "This new space will allow us to keep creating trailblazing shows, reach a wider audience, and further contribute to Wellington's thriving arts scene."

Footnote hopes its new home will serve as a hub for the contemporary dance community and as a catalyst for the organisation's growth, as it plans to offer various opportunities, including studio rentals, workshops, and residencies.

Gisella Carr, Head of Creative Capital at Wellington City Council says “Footnote New Zealand Dance has been the anchor of Wellington’s professional contemporary dance sector for 40 years. Its alumnae are a roll call of New Zealand’s outstanding choreographers, dancers and dance entrepreneurs. Footnote’s work has enriched the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders. 

"Wellington City Council is delighted to support this new home back in Cuba St where it all began. The beautiful, intricate artform of dance flourishes in Pōneke because of those who support it, and we congratulate all those who have made this possible.”

More residencies to celebrate

613 applications, 125 applicants - 16 residencies.

That's a fair whack of work for the Michael King Writers Centre residency selection panel - who've been busy coming up with their list of 2025 residents.

"Reading and assessing this year’s applications was an enormous privilege for the selection panel," says board of trustees Chair, Mel Winder. "We were energised and impressed by the quality of writing across a wide variety of projects; the future of NZ writing is looking brighter than ever."

The residencies that will be staged across the year are broken into two categories to ensure the balance in development and opportunity.

Established writers to receive residencies are Andrea Hotere, Ash Davida Jane, Emma Neale, Kerrin Sharpe, Marianne Schultz, Matariki Williams and Tina Shaw.

Emerging writers awarded a residency are Ashlee Sturme, Hannah Marshall, Isla Huia, Jack Remiel Cottrell, Jason Gurney, Kerry Sunderland, Kirsteen Ure, Michelle Duff and Sam Orchard.