Youth Calendar

Nau mai, haere mai young writers! 

If you or someone you know is a young writer aged 18-35, Dunedin Fringe – proud producers of the NZ Young Writers Fest – enthusiastically invite expressions of interest in participating in this year’s festival and accompanying wānaka/wānanga at Puketeraki marae.

The NZ Young Writers Fest’s founding kaupapa was a vision for a festival “by young writers, for young writers” that “enables as many storytellers as possible” by creating a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for skill building and community connection.

We highly encourage Māori and Moana writers to apply, and writers from other historically excluded communities.

Wānanga/wānaka (Wed 10-Fri 12 September):

This year the festival is running a special wānaka/wānanga for the selected young writers at Puketeraki marae in Karitane. Adopting a tuakana/teina (mentor/mentee) model, the wānaka will provide inspiration, skill building, mentorship and writing opportunities – centered in tikanga Māori – in this unique peer-to-peer learning experience.

The wānaka will be supported by Antony Deaker (Kāi Tahu) and Jessica Sutherland-Latton (Kāi Tahu), our Kaupapa Māori Liaisons and Senior Tuakana for the festival; Young Writer Tuakana Rauhina Scott-Fyfe (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Pākehā), Josiah Morgan (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto), and Ruby Macomber (Rotuma, Ngāpuhi); and Fringe staff.

Applications close on Sunday 29 June 2025.

Location

Puketeraki marae, Karitane