Begun by the Dunedin College of Education in 1992, the University of Otago College of Education / Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence has allowed writers to work full time in a compatible environment among colleagues who are involved with the teaching of reading and literature to children.
With support from Creative New Zealand to fund the writer’s remuneration, the residency has been offered in association with the Robert Lord Trust, which provides rent-free accommodation to writers in the historic Titan Street cottage bequeathed by the late playwright Robert Lord.
This residency will not be offered in 2026. This has been a difficult decision, which we have had to make due to a change in our external funding.
Read more on The Sapling: The end of the University of Otago Children’s Writer Residency?
The University is committed to seeking funding to be able to resume this important residency in 2027 and beyond. A fundraising campaign to build an endowment fund for the Children’s Writer in Residence is now underway – if successful, we can ensure the future of this residency in perpetuity.
Please support the University of Otago College of Education Children’s Writer in Residence by making a donation via our website (select Children’s Writers in Residence from the drop-down list).
See the Otago Arts Fellowships that are open for applications for 2026
Email arts.fellows@otago.ac.nz for more information
The 2025 University of Otago College of Education Children's Writer in Residence is Samantha Montgomerie
Samantha Montgomerie
Samantha Montgomerie lives on the Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti Dunedin.
Her proposed project during this Fellowship is a middle-grade (ages 8 to 12 years) fiction novel - Sea and Sky Collide.
Set in the Marlborough Sounds, this action-packed story is based around two young people fighting to take a stand to protect our natural taonga, with a focus on the Hector’s dolphin.
It will be an engaging book, showing readers they are never too young to stand up for what they believe in.
“The topical issues of a planet in crisis, families struggling with mental health issues, and learning to accept change when it is thrust on us will resonate with modern children,” says Samantha.
“Our tamariki live in an age where our planet is in crisis. As an educator of young people, I know this causes many of them to feel a sense of powerlessness in how to respond. It is timely that an engaging middle grade novel, centred around the tamariki of Aotearoa , addresses these issues and reflects their own reality.”
Samantha is an award-winning writer, who has published a large volume of diverse work, including fiction, non-fiction, educational readers, emergent chapter books and poetry.
"I am extremely grateful to be awarded this fellowship. Having the space, time and resources to focus on this project is a real gift. It will be an absolute joy and privilege to focus solely on my writing and is validating as a writer."
As well as the time and space to write, this residency will allow Samantha access to University resources, including connecting with academics who are world leaders in the research of Hector’s dolphins.
Already an active member of the Dunedin and national literary community, Samantha says she will enjoy taking up the mantle of responsibility that comes with this residency and will be an eager ambassador of children’s literature and the University’s role within the UNESCO City of Literature.
Samantha lives in Ōtepoti Dunedin so won’t be taking up the offer of accommodation in the Titan Street Cottage, which the Robert Lord Writer’s Trust generously offer every year.
Visit Samantha Montgomerie's website