Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Awards
The Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Awards is the Bank's longest-running sponsorship, with involvement beginning in November 1958. In 2003 the previously biennial Awards became an annual competition. There has also been an increase in the prize money for the premier category from $5,000 to $10,000.
The short story awards commemorate Katherine Mansfield's contribution to New Zealand literature, and assist New Zealand writers to achieve recognition in their own country.
All entries must be unpublished stories. All entries are anonymous, written under a pen-name, and there is no pre-selection of entries.
Notable past winners of the Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Award include Maurice Shadbolt (1963, 1967 and 1995), Frank Sargeson (1965), Keri Hulme (1975), Vincent O'Sullivan (1979) and Daphne de Jong (1981).
The awards comprise three categories: premier with a prize value of $10,000, novice worth $1,500 and the young writer category which is open to secondary school students and carries a prize of $1,500 and the same amount for the winner’s school. The awards are administered by a committee of established women writers, and sponsored by the Bank of New Zealand. Mansfield's father was a governor of the bank.
The three sections are:
- The Premier Category, open to any writer, for a story of between 1,000-5,000 words;
- The Bank of New Zealand Novice Category, open to a previously unpublished short story writer for a story of between 1,000-3,000 words;
- The Bank of New Zealand Young Writers' Category, open to secondary school students for a story of between 750-2000 words.
Dame Fiona Kidman is Premier Category judge and Jane Westaway is judging the Novice Category. Margaret Mahy is judge for the Young Writer’s Category. Entries closed on 30 June.
The 2007 award winners will be announced at a ceremony on 4 October at The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington.
Entry forms and competition terms and conditions can be found at any Bank of New Zealand branch, in libraries nationwide or by going to www.bnz.co.nz/kmawards.
For further information please contact: Penny Hartill, Public Relations Consultant, Bank of New Zealand 09 8150646, 021 721 424 or phartill@xtra.co.nz, or Brenda Newth, Public Relations Manager, 09 306 7996, 029 200 6830, Brenda_Newth@bnz.co.nz
