Mātātuhi Foundation supports seven literature initiatives

The Mātātuhi Foundation announces funding for seven initiatives from writers, editors and organisations that will enhance or develop the literary landscape of New Zealand.

  • Te Pou Muramura / Read NZ: to support Read NZ in revitalising and developing Hooked On Books, a review web site by and for YA readers.

  • Tu Meke Tūī:Hui: to deliver writing workshops to children during a regional theatre tour of Tu Meke Tūi!

  • Ivana Mlinac: to fund research into creating reading/writing workshops for children with a parent in prison.

  • Newsroom: to commission 12 creative nonfiction essays for Newsroom’s ReadingRoom site from a diverse range of writers.

  • Wendyl Nissen: to create ten podcasts with interviews of well-known New Zealanders discussing books and reading, to be hosted by NZME. 

  • The Corner:Creative Space: to develop the ‘Stories from Southside’ project teaching fiction workshops to young writers in South Auckland.

  • Sonya Wilson: to create a new ‘How to love …’ genre series of podcasts promoting a wide variety of NZ writers and forms.

This is the fourth funding round for the Foundation, established by the Auckland Writers Festival in 2018. Its aim is to support the literary community with seed funding of up to $5000 for new literature-related initiatives.

Mātātuhi Foundation Chair Anne Blackburn was delighted with the record number of expressions of interest received from across New Zealand.

“With each successive funding round, the Foundation’s profile and engagement with the local literary community is really starting to pay dividends.  Not only are we seeing greater volumes and diversity amongst the submissions, but importantly, we are starting to attract funding requests for projects targeting more broad scale community impact.” 

Up to ten grants are available each year across two funding rounds (May and October).  Submissions must be made online at http://www.matatuhifoundation.co.nz/

Grants to date have supported workshops, podcasts, digital content, mentoring and community projects, including mentoring of developing writers, creating an online bibliography of books available in te reo, and projects that celebrate and preserve our literary history.

 

 

 

 

Natalie Pearce