Prizes · New Zealand

Ockham NZ Book Awards 2027 entries close; longlists due 28 January

Entries for books published in 2026 have closed. Longlists follow on 28 January, shortlists on 3 March and winners on 12 May in Auckland.

By The Book Source4 November 20261 minute read

Entries have closed for the 2027 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, the organisers have confirmed. The awards are open to New Zealand books published between 1 January and 31 December 2026.

The next step is the release of the longlists on 28 January 2027. The shortlists will then be announced on 3 March 2027, narrowing the field ahead of the final judging.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in Auckland on 12 May 2027. The ceremony is being held in collaboration with the Auckland Writers Festival. The awards website does not yet name a venue for the event, and the entry information on the site does not list the categories or prize money for 2027.

Organisers have also set out the timing for the following cycle. Books published between 1 January and 31 December 2027 will be eligible for the 2028 awards, and entries for that round are due to open in early August 2027.

Questions about the awards and the entry process can be sent to the awards administrator at awards@nzbookawards.org.nz.

Original source: Ockham New Zealand Book Awards ↗

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