Caselberg Trust Elizabeth Brooke-Carr Emerging Writers Resident 2026 announcement

The Caselberg Trust announces that the recipient of its Elizabeth Brooke-Carr Emerging Writers Residency in 2026 will be poet Sofia Drew from Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Sofia is currently studying English literature and philosophy in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and has had her writing published in Starling, Symposia, Salient and A Fine Line.

The residency is named after well-known and much-loved Dunedin writer Elizabeth Brooke-Carr who died in 2019. The residency for emerging writers, which is for one week each year, was established thanks to the generous fundraising undertaken by Elizabeth’s family, friends, and colleagues of Ms Brooke-Carr who wanted to provide for an annual residency at the Caselberg house in Broad Bay in her honour. 

“We are absolutely delighted to be able to make this announcement today, and we look forward to welcoming Sofia to the Caselberg house in 2026. This residency commemorates a great friend and supporter of the Caselberg Trust, Dunedin writer Elizabeth Brooke-Carr” said Dr Janet Downs Chairperson Caselberg Trust “Elizabeth was the inaugural Caselberg Trust writer-in-residence back in 2009, and she often talked about how much the experience meant to her as an emerging writer who took up writing in her later years”.

Sofia said “I've always loved the idea of taking up a writing residency, but I never imagined that this would become a reality for me so soon! I'm incredibly grateful to the Caselberg Trust for giving me this opportunity; it means a lot to me to have this time to contemplate, and to write".

The residency shifts focus slightly each year by offering emerging writers from a variety of writing genres – poetry, fiction, non-fiction, journalism. This year’s focus is on writing based on nature. 

The Caselberg Trust purchased the Broad Bay, Dunedin home of the late John and Anna Caselberg in 2006, with the aim of hosting creative residencies in the house. Since inception, the Trust has held a variety of creative projects and events, as well as hosting several well-known New Zealand writers and artists at the cottage.

Sofia will take up her residency in mid 2026.

Please contact Trustee Robert West at info@caselbergtrust.org or mobile 027 608 0641 for further information, or www.caselbergtrust.org.