The Emerging Writers’ Festival work, learn and play largely on the land of the Kulin nation, and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

EWF celebrates the history and creativity of the world’s oldest living culture.

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Artist

Xiaole Zhan

Xiaole Zhan (they/them) is a Chinese-New Zealand writer and composer based in Naarm. They are the recipient of the 2024 Kat Muscat Fellowship and a 2024 Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship. They were the winner of the 2023 Kill Your Darlings Non-Fiction Prize for their essay-memoir ‘Think An Empty Room, Moonly With Phoneglow’ about growing up in a Pākehā-Chinese family, as well as the winner of the 2023 Landfall Young Writers Essay Competition for their essay ‘Muscle Memory’ exploring music and the body. As a composer, Zhan was the 2024 New North Emerging Artist.