Congratulations to OBHS Old Boy Nick Tipa

By OBHS | Posted: Tuesday June 24, 2025

We would like to congratulate Old Boy Nick Tipa (2008-2012), who has been named the 2025 New Zealand Young Writers Festival (NZYWF) Young Writer in Residence.

This prestigious residency will see Nick spend two weeks at the Robert Lord Writers Cottage in Ōtepoti Dunedin, where he will further develop his craft, take part in the wānaka at Puketeraki Marae, and contribute fresh, critical, and creative work to the 2025 NZ Young Writers Festival.

Nick, an Ōtepoti-based writer and performer whose work draws deeply on whakapapa, whānau, and his formative years growing up at the foot of Pātearoa (the Rock and Pillar range). His background as an actor and musician informs his writing, which began as a way to share his own stories.

Earlier this year, Nick premiered his debut solo play, Babyface, at the Dunedin Fringe Festival, earning the UNESCO City of Literature Beyond Words Award—a testament to his powerful voice and creative talent.