24 Nov 2019

Harry Ricketts and the end of the New Zealand Review of Books

From Standing Room Only, 12:50 pm on 24 November 2019
Harry Ricketts

Harry Ricketts Photo: supplied

No caption

Photo: supplied

One year short of its 30th anniversary of publishing long-form book reviews and opinion pieces, Creative New Zealand''s decision to stop funding it means the New Zealand Review of Books Pukapuka Aotearoa's next publication will be its last.  It also leaves the fate of the on-line archive section in limbo.

CNZ has made big changes to its arts grant applications which we've already reported on.   At the same time the organisers of Wellington's popular annual Verb Literary Festival have found out that their funding application has also been turned down.

The Review of Books' co-editors and publishers Peppercorn Press have yet to be given a reason for the end of its funding after 29 years.  The Summer issue, the 128th edition, comes out next month.  

For more information, go to the Facebook page.

A Givealittle page is intended to fundraise for final expenses and for help with ongoing maintenance of online sites.

Lynn Freeman talks to Co-Editor Harry Ricketts.

After the interview went to air, a Creative New Zealand spokesperson replied:

Creative New Zealand has not made a decision to stop funding The New Zealand Review of Books.  The Peppercorn Press, which publishes The New Zealand Review of Books, made an application to Arts Grants and that application was not successful on that occasion.   However, this does not prevent them from applying in future.

On Friday (22 November) Creative New Zealand reached out to Peppercorn Press to offer a meeting to provide feedback and to discuss their options.

Creative New Zealand did not turn down The Verb Literary Festival for funding as the 2019 Festival was funded through the 1st Arts Grants round in 2019. The Verb Literary Festival did not apply to the most recent Arts Grant round.