Nominations open for New Voices of Aotearoa 2026
The Coalition for Books is thrilled to announce the return of New Voices of Aotearoa, an initiative that aims to showcase up-and-coming, must-read, brilliantly talented authors of Aotearoa New Zealand adult fiction and non-fiction.
Selected authors will attend a curated one-day professional development program and photoshoot in Auckland, have the opportunity to showcase their work at an industry event at Auckland Writers Festival, be supported by ongoing promotion by the Coalition for Books through Kete Books’ digital channels and Winter Reading catalogue, and more.
Authors may be nominated by themselves or their publisher by completing the form below. To qualify, an author must have published their first book in the last twelve months (i.e. March 2025-February 2026) or have their second book due for release in 2026. Authors must also be either New Zealanders by birth, hold New Zealand citizenship, or be long-term residents of Aotearoa.
Nominations are open from Sunday 1 March and close midnight Sunday 15 March 2026. Nominations received outside this window will not be considered.
Selected authors will be notified in May.
