Te Pae Tawhiti Awards are officially launched and OPEN!

By Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha | Dunedin UNESCO City Of Literature | Posted: Tuesday Jul 22, 2025

Aotearoa's first juried speculative fiction awards are open to NZ and Pasifica authors who published works in 2025.

Te Pae Tawhiti Awards is a SpecFicNZ initiative to celebrate and inspire speculative fiction writers from Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands. These Awards can:

• Enrich the literary landscape within New Zealand and beyond. 

• Enable multiple authors to reach a wider audience and showcase their talent. 

• Showcase the unique and diverse stories of our New Zealand and Pacific Island speculative fiction communities to an expanded readership.

• Educate and inspire the next generation of speculative fiction writers by working closely with tertiary providers. 

• Enhance the career prospects of New Zealand and Pasifika authors.

• Bring the New Zealand speculative fiction community together to celebrate and network, opening doors for future relationships and creative endeavours.

Te Pae Tawhiti is an annual award for a specific calendar year e.g. 2025. There are two submission periods: 
Works published before 30th of June must be submitted before 30 October of the same calendar year
Works published between 1st of July and 31 December must be submitted before Jan 9 the following year.  

Find out more here: How To Enter | Te Pae Tawhiti Awards