New Zealand France Friendship Fund boosts Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship

Having also contributed $70,000 in 2016, the Friendship Fund is a principal supporter of the $1.16 million fund established with the Arts Foundation to manage the Fellowship in perpetuity.

Founded in 1991 to promote friendly relations between New Zealand and France, the New Zealand France Friendship Fund has supported hundreds of projects over almost 30 years. Its capital is now almost fully expended. After a final call for projects in 2019, the Fund will be closed.

New Zealand Chair, Sarah Dennis, commented: “With the Fund having served its purpose well, the Joint New Zealand France Board has sought to preserve its legacy through an ongoing contribution to France-New Zealand collaboration. The Katherine Mansfield writer’s residency in Menton is a prestigious and iconic project which we know will continue long after the Fund has gone.”

Garth Gallaway, Chair of the Arts Foundation said; “We are absolutely delighted with this legacy gift. It will enable us to extend the length of the residency for writers and to build the public profile and outreach of the Fellowship. It is a lasting contribution to New Zealand literature and to relations with France. We are greatly looking forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the residency next year.”

First established in 1970, the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship enables New Zealand writers to work at the Villa Isola Bella in Menton, where Katherine Mansfield lived and wrote in the latter part of her life. Mansfield was born in Wellington in 1888 and died in France in 1923.

In 2017, the poet Kate Camp was the first to receive the Fellowship with the support from the new Fund. Carl Nixon was the recipient in 2018 and Paula Morris takes up the 2019 award shortly.

Morris joins a long list of celebrated New Zealand writers who have been to Menton, including CK Stead, Janet Frame, Michael King, Marilyn Duckworth, Lloyd Jones, Maurice Gee, Witi Ihimaera, Vincent O’Sullivan, Bill Manhire and Dame Fiona Kidman.

About the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship

Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship is an historic and distinguished fellowship available to New Zealand writers. A selected writer may live for up to six months in Menton, France, where they have access to Katherine Mansfield’s writing room in the Villa Isola Bella.

About the New Zealand France Friendship Fund

The New Zealand France Friendship Fund was established in 1991 after the Rainbow Warrior settlement. Its objective is to provide financial assistance to projects which promote friendship and understanding between the people of France and New Zealand.  The New Zealand France Friendship Fund has launched a ‘last call’ for project applications aimed at encouraging friendly links between New Zealand and France. The deadline for applications is 30 April 2019. An application form can be found at: http://www.nz-franceff.com/

About The Arts Foundation

The Foundation was instigated in the late 90s by arts visionaries who wanted to build a philanthropic organisation to help support extraordinary New Zealand artists to create more work. It was founded with a grant of $5 million from the Lottery Grants Board, and continues to be invested, with a total equity of $8.2 million.

For further information please contact:

Hannah Wilson
Relationships Manager
021 440 067
www.thearts.co.nz

Sarah Dennis
Chair - New Zealand France Friendship Fund
022 091 8454
www.nz-franceff.com