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From the moment I stepped inside the door at Randell Cottage, 14 Saint Mary Street, Wellington, I felt like I was coming home. Everything about the place was familiar – from the New Zealand timber floorboards to the very positioning of the sash windows that looked out to a garden of native trees and hydrangeas. — Kirsty Gunn, New Zealand Writer 2009
Historic Randell Cottage in Wellington, New Zealand, has been a writers' residency since 2001. In partnership with the Embassy of France, New Zealand-France Friendship Fund and Creative New Zealand, the Randell Cottage Writers Trust provides a six-month residency each year to a French and NZ writer respectively.
The cottage was gifted by the Price family to be the first dedicated writers residency in the capital city, and the first for international writers in the Southern Hemisphere. It reciprocates in some measure for the New Zealand Post Mansfield Prize which sends writers to Menton, France, and adds an exciting perspective to the cultural and literary life of Wellington.
With Katherine Mansfield being one of my strongest influences, New Zealand has been ensconced in my mind for such a long time. — Nadine Ribault, inaugural French Writer, 2002
Randell Cottage is located in inner city Thorndon close to the Lilburn Residence [composer residency], Rita Angus Cottage [artist residency], and the Katherine Mansfield Birthplace. This cluster of residencies is known informally as Arts Residencies Thorndon or ART and has led to mutual support and collaboration. Wellington is a lively literary centre and research hub and Randell Cottage is within walking distance of the National and Turnbull Libraries, the Wellington Asia Residency, and the International Institute of Modern Letters.
The residency was tremendous. It is extremely rare for a writer to have a period in his or her life free from financial insecurity. — Peter Wells, inaugural New Zealand Writer 2002
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Collector's Dream book launch
Come to the launch of former Resident Pierre Furlan's The Collector's Dream 6pm Tuesday, 7th September, 2010. More details here
Randell Cottage Open Day 2010
11am—4pm, Saturday 16 October
14 St Mary Street, Thorndon
Come and visit one of the oldest settler cottages in Wellington built
in 1867,now administered by the Randell Cottage Writers Trust and
home to New Zealand and French writers in residence. There will be writers and
other members of the trust on hand to show you around.
Applications are now open for next year's New Zealand writer for the Randell Cottage Creative New Zealand residency - click here for more information about the residency and how to apply.
Writer in residence Pat White's new book How the Land Lies is about to be published by VUP. It is endorsed by poet Brian Turner. Pat will be speaking about it and his biography of Peter Hooper at Millwood Gallery, 6 pm on August 24. Call Millwood Gallery if you would like to attend tel: (04) 473 5178 more...
 The French Writer in Residence at Randell Cottage from October 2010 is
Yann Apperry. More....
Former writer in residence Whiti Heraka has launched her novel The Graphologists Apprentice (Huia Press) on Thursday 29 July. It was launched by the Chair of Randell Cottage Friends Mary McCallum, and Fiona and Ian Kidman, Jean Anderson and Susan Price attended. Nga mihi nui ki a koe o Whiti.
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