The biggest night of the New Zealand literary year unfolds as the winners of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for 2021 are announced live on stage, presided over by MC Jack Tame.  

After the announcement of the MitoQ Best First Book winners, a line-up of New Zealand’s finest writers takes the stage to read from their work before the judges reveal their picks for the Fiction, Poetry, General Non-Fiction and Illustrated Non-Fiction awards.  

Open to all, an event full of surprise and delight not to be missed. 

FINALISTS:

Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction: Pip Adam; Airini Beautrais; Catherine Chidgey; Brannavan Gnanalingam. 

Mary & Peter Biggs Award for Poetry: Tusiata Avia; Hinemoana Baker; Mohamed Hassan; Nina Mingya Powles. 

Booksellers Aotearoa NZ Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction: Leonard Bell; Monique Fiso; George Gibbs; Jane Ussher. 

General Non-Fiction Award: Madison Hamill; Alison Jones; Hirini Kaa; Vincent O’Sullivan.