In late 2008 Seresin Estate highlighted its commitment to the arts and creative endeavour with the establishment of an annual writer’s residency with Otago University Press, publishers of Landfall. The Seresin Landfall Residency provides six weeks’ accommodation for the winner of the Residency in either Tuscany or Marlborough, with timing and location to be agreed with Seresin.
Previous winners have been CK Stead and Wystan Curnow. To celebrate the establishment of the award, Jenah Shaw also received a residency in 2009 as a young emerging writer.
Michael Seresin and Otago University Press have been keen that the Residency should maintain the nurturing role of Landfall for writers and new work. To that end, application criteria have now been changed for the 2011 Residency. The Residency will be open to entries from early to mid-career New Zealand writers, aged twenty-one or over, working in any genre, who have previously published at least one book. Landfall publisher Wendy Harrex says ‘We are looking for people who need time out to finish work which will advance their careers as writers.’
The Residency is the result of Michael Seresin’s desire to support the work of Landfall magazine – his father was an early subscriber to Landfall and Michael has continued the subscription – and the literary arts in New Zealand. ‘I wanted to provide a place where writers feel comfortable and can write. We are fortunate to have access to two beautiful properties, which I hope will provide some inspiration for a writer during their six-week stay.’
Writers who have held the Residency have been productive. In 2009 the inaugural winner CK Stead completed his autobiography, South West of Eden, in Tuscany, while Jenah Shaw finished her first novel. And in 2010 Wystan Curnow also spent six weeks in Tuscany, working on his forthcoming book on Colin McCahon.
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