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International Writers' Programme

• Previous Exchanges
• International festival travel fund application guidelines (PDF version) 
• International fund application for authors (PDF form)
• International fund application for festivals(PDF form)
• Authors' report form for International Writers' Programme (PDF form)
• Festival's report form for International Writers' Programme (PDF form)

Over the past few years the Book Council's International Writers' Programme, in conjunction with Creative New Zealand's audience development initiative, has aimed to promote New Zealand literature overseas by assisting New Zealand writers to attend high-profile international literary events.

For 2009/2010 the programme has been restructured within the context of Creative New Zealand's new international plan. The new programme has the objective of promoting a more targeted approach to enhancing the profile of New Zealand writing overseas by developing long term relationships with a specific range of international festivals.

New Zealand Book Council/Creative New Zealand
International Festival Travel Fund Application Guidelines

Objective

The purpose of the fund is to showcase New Zealand writing talent overseas by supporting the attendance of New Zealand writers to a range of key international writing festivals.

Target festivals

In the first instance we anticipate building strong relationships with both close neighbours Australia and the more important international English language festivals in the UK, Canada and the United States. In time this may be developed to take in a range of other language festivals in Europe and elsewhere. The current target festivals for 2009/2010 are:

Australia
Sydney Writer’s Festival (May 2010)
Melbourne Writer’s Festival (August 2010)
Adelaide Writer’s Festival (Feb/Mar 2010)
Brisbane Writers Festival (September 2010)
Perth Writers Festival (Feb/Mar 2010)
Byron Bay Festival (August 2010)

UK
Hay on Wye Festival (May 2010)
Edinburgh International Book Festival (August 2010)
Cheltenham Literature Festival (October 2010)

US
PEN World Voices Festival, New York (April/May 2010)
Wordstock Festival, Portland (October 2010)

Canada
International Festival of Authors, Harbourfront Toronto (October 2010)
Vancouver Writer’s Festival (October 2010)

Asia
Man Hong Kong Literary Festival (March 2010)
Singapore (October 2010)

Other festivals may be considered at the discretion of the panel and funds permitting.

Travel to other literary events and funding for other international opportunities can be applied for through Creative New Zealand Contestable Funding. Please see the the Contestable Funding page on their website for details.

How to apply

Applications will be accepted from either:
• Writers who have been invited to one of the target festivals or publishers/agents acting on their behalf
or
• Target festivals who are in the process of inviting a New Zealand author

Applications can be made at any time but will be considered four times a year. Once agreed, successful applicants will be notified within five working days of the selection panel meeting. Applicants are advised that funding will not be applied retrospectively and that they should apply at least three months ahead of their proposed activity.

For author applicants we require the following information and supporting material:
• A completed application form (available here)
• Invitation letter that states full details of the proposed event (itinerary, programme of activities, dates etc)

For Festival applicants we require the following information and supporting material:
• A completed application form (available here)
• A copy of the festival invitation letter to the proposed writer

Festivals needing advice on New Zealand authors who might be suitable for their programming are welcome to contact us on: reception@bookcouncil.co.nz

The selection panel dates for 2009/2010 are proposed as follows:

• December 14th 2009 (submission date: December 7th 2009)
• March 12th 2010 (submission date: March 5th 2010)
• June 4th 2010 (submission date: May 28th 2010)

Selection criteria

A selection panel will assess the applications four times per year and will take into account the quality of the application, the overall merit of the project in comparison with the other eligible applications, the potential impact of the visit to the writer’s career and the available budget.

The selection panel will consist of five members, one of whom will act as chair. The panel will include representatives from the Creative New Zealand, The New Zealand Society of Authors and the Publisher’s Association of New Zealand.

Assessment Criteria

Applications are evaluated against the assessment criteria listed below:
• The literary potential and accomplishments of the applicant
• The importance and promotional value of the travel to the applicant’s career and to the dissemination of New Zealand literature
• The merit and relevance of the events, festivals, facilities or other host organisations to be visited

Who can apply?

Author applicants must be New Zealand citizens or have permanent resident status, as defined by Immigration New Zealand. New Zealand citizens need not be living in New Zealand when they apply.

Applicants or invitees must be recognised professional writers who have had:
• at least one book published by a professional publishing house OR
• for fiction, a minimum of four texts of creative writing (e.g., short stories, excerpts from a novel) published on two separate occasions in literary magazines, recognised periodicals (including general interest magazines) or anthologies published by professional publishing houses OR
• for poetry, a minimum of 10 published poems

Only literary publications for which the author has received financial compensation and that have gone through an independent editorial selection process will be considered when determining eligibility.

New Zealand professional writers working in all languages and literary artists working in oral traditions are also eligible. They must be recognised as professionals by their peers (artists who work in the same artistic tradition), have specialised training in the field (not necessarily in academic institutions) and have been paid for their work.
All eligible activities must be literary in nature.

Festival applicants should be those from the approved list above. Applications for literary festivals or activities outside this list should be made directly to Creative New Zealand under the following funding process:
http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/Funding/ContestableFunding/Howtoapplyforcontestablefunding/tabid/3517/language/en-NZ/Default.aspx

Festivals must undertake to ensure that the visiting author’s work will be available during their festival.

All applicants will be required to submit a short report on the activity. Applicants must have any overdue reports submitted and approved by NZ Book Council or Creative New Zealand) before their application will be considered. http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=jE2i8bGLPFk=&tabid=3517&language=en-NZ

What we will fund

Grants will cover return travel to the event only. All landed costs will be the responsibility of the host Festival. Grants can include return economy airfares only.

Applications may include more than one destination as long as they are part of one trip (example travel from Auckland to the USA for one event and then to Europe for another, and return. Applicants must justify the amount requested.

Travel allowances are based on the cheapest available fares from applicants’ place of residence to the location where their project is taking place.

The programme will fund projects that have also received funding from other public or private organisations, but not for the same expenses.

Grant amounts must be specified in New Zealand Dollars.

Where to apply

Applications may be submitted either by post or email to the following addresses by the submission dates listed above.

The New Zealand Book Council (International Programme)
Level 7
Alan Burns Insurances House
69-71 Boulcott Street
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
reception@bookcouncil.org.nz