The Art Lens is a youth-led platform designed to support young writers in Aotearoa New Zealand who lack accessible pathways to publish, promote, and discuss their work regularly. The Art Lens responds to a gap within New Zealand’s literary landscape: the absence of dedicated, sustained spaces designed for emerging young writers to develop their voices, share their work publicly, and learn how to step into writing as a practice rather than as an aspiration. While writing remains central to the platform, we also recognise that many other young artists face similar barriers.
The Art Lens is for high school students and writers under 25 who are still finding their footing in the writing space or those who may not yet have extensive publication histories but are committed to developing writing as a practice.