New Zealand Post

Literacy and literature

New Zealand Post is proud to support a range of wonderful projects that bring the joy of words and reading into New Zealanders lives. Some of our current sponsorships are:

Literacy Aotearoa

Not being able to read and write makes life very difficult for thousands of New Zealand adults. Reading a postcard from a loved one, filling out a form, or paying a bill are impossible actions for many people.

New Zealand Post is committed to improving literacy with our support for Literacy Aotearoa - a national organisation that delivers accessible, quality literacy services to New Zealanders. Learning programmes are offered in a range of environments including maraes, homes, prisons, community houses and workplaces.

New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Awards and Writing Festival

New Zealand Post National Poetry AwardsNew Zealand Post supports the New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Awards and National Schools Writing Festival. Run by Victoria University's International Institute of Modern Letters, the Awards and Festival aim to give Years 11, 12 and 13 students the chance to be recognised for their writing skills and also help develop their interest in the literary field.

New Zealand Post Book Award for Children and Young Adults

New Zealand Post Book AwardsNew Zealand Post has become the principal partner of the New Zealand Post Book Awards.

These awards promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best books published annually in New Zealand. Books are judged in four main categories, Poetry, Fiction, Illustrated Non-fiction and General Non-fiction, with a finalist list of 16. A ‘Book of the Year‘ will also be chosen from the finalists.

The awards, are administered by Booksellers New Zealand. Winners for this year will be announced in Auckland in August 2010. Visit Booksellers New Zealand to find out more.

Books in Homes

Books in homesNew Zealand Post is a proud supporter of the Books in Homes programme which helps bring the work of our top New Zealand writers and illustrators to Kiwi children. New Zealand Post buys and distributes copies of the finalist books from the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults to schools involved in the Books in Homes programme. To support the programme New Zealand Post people visit local schools to donate the books and present the New Zealand Post Great Effort in Reading and Writing Awards to children.

New Zealand Post Mansfield Prize

The New Zealand Post Mansfield prize sits alongside the Michael King Fellowship for senior writers. It includes a stipend for the successful author to produce a work of literature; inspired by residency at the villa Isola Bella in Menton, France, where iconic writer Katherine Mansfield lived and wrote. The size of the prize ensures the Fellowship gives the recipient a significant reward and raises the profile of New Zealand literary successes.

Previous recipients include Janet Frame, Lloyd Jones, Whiti Ihimaera, Vincent O'Sullivan and Dame Fiona Kidman.

New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week

New Zealand Post Readers and Writers week

Reflecting our enduring relationship with the literary arts, as well as our love of a good story, every two years we sponsor the
New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week as part of the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts.

New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week is a core festival event featuring top New Zealand and international writers. The next Festival will be in March 2010 and we will again be a Gold partner.

Auckland Theatre Company and Literary Unit

Formed 15 years ago, the Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) is a core part of Auckland's cultural heart and one of the country's most significant theatre companies. Auckland Theatre Company also has the country's only theatre-based Literary Unit dedicated to developing new New Zealand work. We're excited to be working with them to help bring audiences a provocative, entertaining and enriching season of work over the next year.

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