Nominations open for next New Zealand Poet Laureate

The Chief Executive/National Librarian of the National Library of New Zealand invites you to make a nomination for the 2009-2011 New Zealand Poet Laureate Award.
Poetry is an essential part of New Zealand art and culture and through the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award the government acknowledges the value of poetry as a part of our national identity.

After considering all nominations, a recommendation for The New Zealand Poet Laureate, previously known as the Te Mata Estate New Zealand Poet Laureate scheme, will be made by the New Zealand Poet Laureate Advisory Group. The National Librarian/Chief Executive of the National Library will appoint the Laureate.

The Poet Laureate's drafts, creative processes (including interviews, pod casts, readings, web links, web pages, etc) and published work will be preserved in the National Library’s National Digital Heritage Archive and in the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library.
Nominees will have made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand poetry and be an accomplished and highly regarded poet. They must also currently reside in New Zealand.
The term of appointment for the next Poet Laureate will be from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011.
Nominations close on Friday 19 June 2009. The Minister Responsible for the National Library, the Hon Dr Richard Worth, will announce the Poet Laureate in July.

Nominations should be submitted to Chief Executive/National Librarian, National Library of New Zealand: Attention Poet Laureate Award, PO Box 1467, Wellington or can be emailed to poet-laureate@natlib.govt.nz.
Download background information
Download a nomination form