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Programme

Programme

Welcome to WORD Christchurch Festival! Our goal? To bring the city alive with brilliant books, storytelling and ideas.

Events are listed chronologically; use the filters below to sort by date, author and genre.

Download a PDF version of the printed programme here.

Livestream ticketholders – find your links to watch here.

Date

Tuesday, 13 May

Monday, 19 May

Wednesday, 21 May

Writers

Dervla McTiernan

Kiran Dass

Kirsty Gunn

Lars Mytting

Liz Grant

Michael Bennett

Genre

In Conversation

Venues

Great Hall, The Arts Centre

TSB Space, Tūranga, 60 Cathedral Square

Saved

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An Evening in Crime: Dervla McTiernan (Ireland) and Michael Bennett

Tuesday, 13 May 6:00 pm

What makes Kiwi and Irish crime writing so good? Dervla McTiernan and Michael Bennett discuss this and more.

What Lies Beneath: Dark Tales with Kirsty Gunn

Monday, 19 May 6:30 pm

Scotland-based New Zealand writer Kirsty Gunn is home to celebrate her latest book.

Norwegian Woods: An Evening with Lars Mytting (Norway)

Wednesday, 21 May 6:30 pm

One of Norway's biggest sellers joins us for a fireside chat.

Social Feed

wordchch

WORD Christchurch gets the city buzzing with books, ideas and kōrero. Next fest: August 2025 + events throughout the year
Respectful chat only please!

Who said crime doesn't pay? @dervlamctiernan and M

Who said crime doesn't pay? @dervlamctiernan and Michael Bennett are best-selling writers of gripping page-turners, bringing their Irish and Aotearoa thrillers to international audiences. Here are just a handful!

Have a read on these dark nights before our event with them on Tuesday 13 May - tickets from $20 and available on our website now: www.wordchch.co.nz

#bookstagram #crimefiction #christchurchnz #wordchch #autumnseason #thriller #litevents #yeahnoir

🚨 MAY EVENTS ALERT 🚨 @Derlvamctiernan (Irel

🚨 MAY EVENTS ALERT 🚨
@Derlvamctiernan (Ireland), Michael Bennett (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue), Kirsty Gunn (Scotland/NZ) and Lars Mytting (Norway) all come to Ōtautahi Christchurch next month to share their stories with you. More info on the trio of events on our website: www.wordchch.co.nz - book your tickets now.

A big ngā mihi to @harpercollinsnz, @otagounipress and our pals at @aklwritersfest for helping us make the magic happen!
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#litevents #christchurchnz #wordchch #norwegianwood #historicalfiction #autumnseason #prettyugly #fiction #crimefiction #thriller #bookstagram

REPOST from @ngaiomarshawards: "Quelle bonne nouv

REPOST from @ngaiomarshawards:

"Quelle bonne nouvelle! We're thrilled to share more details about our first-ever Mystery in the Library event in Akaroa, the wonderful historic French settlement on Banks Peninsula in Canterbury.

Crime writing has come a long way since Dame Ngaio Marsh set a handful of her popular Inspector Alleyn tales among the landscapes of Aotearoa, shifting from puzzling entertainments to modern tales delving deeply into people, places, and psychology.

Child welfare expert turned mystery writer Marie Connolly is joined by YA thriller writer Heather McQuillan and past Ngaios finalist for a fascinating korero on the art and craft of thriller writing, the importance of people and place, and what makes Dame Ngaio's home region of Canterbury a great place for storytellers. Ngaio Marsh Awards judge and local Canterbury librarian Fiona Jay will cross-examine the culprits."

WHEN: Thursday, 10 April 2025
WHERE: Akaroa Library, 2 Selwyn Avenue, Akaroa 7520
WHEN: 5.30pm doors open for a 6pm panel discussion
COST: free! But registrations are key. Check out the @ngaiomarshawards account for more info.

#yeahnoir #ccclibraries #crimefiction

We're getting sisterly with our Adelaide friends @

We're getting sisterly with our Adelaide friends @writerssainc and @adelaidecitylibraries! The wonderful @islahuiapoet is heading over next month for performances and workshops as part of a Poet exchange, and this August you'll get to encounter an extraordinary Poet from Adelaide in return...

With thanks to the @christchurchcc Sister City committee.

📸 @petramingneau of Isla at WORD 2024
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#nzpoetry #globalsistercities #christchurchnz #transtasman #adelaide #litfest #wordchch #contextwritersfestival

Apirana Taylor is in Ōtautahi this coming week! A

Apirana Taylor is in Ōtautahi this coming week! Apirana is the 2024 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry, and is such a thrilling live performer. See him on Thursday with the @canterburypoetscollective and on Friday at Tūranga with @christchurchlib to celebrate the launch of his latest poetry pukapuka, published by our friends Canterbury University Press.

📷 Himiona Grace
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#poetrygram #nzpoetry #māoriwriters #toimāori #christchurchnz #rangatira #poetry #apiranataylor #ngāketewānangaoōtautahi #christchurchcitylibraries

Instagram post 18278380711248161

Instagram post 18278380711248161

📖✨ Get your book bags ready, The @christchurc

📖✨ Get your book bags ready, The @christchurchlib Big Bargain Book Sale is on this Friday and Saturday. Get some bargains, and treat your shelves to something new to you! Stock gets added throughout the sale, and there’s something for everyone.
📅 Friday 21 March, 9am-7pm
📅 Saturday 22 March, 9am-4pm
📍 Pioneer Recreation & Sport Centre

📸 Christchurch City Libraries
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#books #bookstagram #librarylove #christchurchnz

from the fantastic ARTS FOR ALL event at The Piano

from the fantastic ARTS FOR ALL event at The Piano thanks to Creative New Zealand & The Arts Foundation

It’s a week to celebrate Aotearoa writers! We ar

It’s a week to celebrate Aotearoa writers! We are thrilled that WORD 2024 alumni Saraid de Silva has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her novel ‘Amma’ alongside writers including Miranda July, Elizabeth Strout and Kaliane Bradley. Congratulations, Saraid!
📸 @petramingneau
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#WomensPrize #WomensPrizeForFiction #SaraidDeSilva

Look at these beauties! The Ockham New Zealand Boo

Look at these beauties! The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards finalists have been announced and make a terrific reading list. We are thrilled to see WORD trustee Tina Makereti shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for her novel ‘The Mires’. The winners will be revealed on Wednesday 14 May. Hearty congratulations to all the writers, artists and their publishers.  #TheOckhams

See you in Ōhinehau Lyttelton for the launch of T

See you in Ōhinehau Lyttelton for the launch of TE MOANA O TE REO this Thursday! This deep dive in to micro fiction from @thecubapress has more than 40 languages included, a representation of the diversity and beauty of Aotearoa storytellers.

#flashfiction #cubapress #atthebay #booklaunch #christchruchnz

A few of us remember all those bricks in 2011...

A few of us remember all those bricks in 2011...

We’re marking 14 years since the February earthquake hit our city with this excerpt from “The Poem that is like a city” by the marvellous Fiona Farrell.

What's your go-to piece of writing that reminds you of this time?

#eqnz #nzpoetry #fionafarrell #wordshavepower

WORD favourites combine! Aotearoa New Zealand writ

WORD favourites combine! Aotearoa New Zealand writer @pipadam chats with WORD Trustee, writer and researcher @ladyhorrors AKA Erin Harrington. Better off Read is available on Spotify and most podcasting apps.

#nzpodcasts #podcast #getlistening #nzlit #wordchch

Poet, environmentalist, sportsman, journalist, bio

Poet, environmentalist, sportsman, journalist, biographer, and playwright Brian Turner ONZM died at the age of 80 last week. Brian appeared at five WORD festivals, including our very first event in 1997. Here he is in 2020, signing 'Landmarks', alongside Grahame Sydney and Owen Marshall. Both collaborators have had wonderful tributes to Brian published on @thespinofftv.

#brianturner #nzpoetry #moemaira #vale #RIP

Toitū te Tiriti! Today is a day of celebration, c

Toitū te Tiriti! Today is a day of celebration, commemoration, conversation... and reading, of course. Check out the link in our bio for 10 essential reads for Waitangi Day from @theconversation.aunz

📸: @otagounipress showing just a few of the pukapuka featured in Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance edited by Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira 📚

#booksofmana #nonfiction #nznonfiction #māori #māoriliterature #nzbooks #otagounipress #toitutetiriti

💚 Mā te wā Magda! A massive thank you and far

💚 Mā te wā Magda! A massive thank you and farewell to our dear outgoing Administration and Operations Manager/Volunteer Coordinator Madga Lorenzo.

Magda first joined WORD as a volunteer then came on board as staff in 2018. We are so grateful for Magda’s energy, commitment and genuine enthusiasm for WORD and her work. She even got her first tattoo at a WORD event, of a book no less. With her warm, sparkling disposition and sense of humour it’s no surprise that everyone who meets Magda adores her. Please join us in wishing Magda all the best!

💚💚💚

An exciting day for Aotearoa book lovers! The 2025

An exciting day for Aotearoa book lovers! The 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist has been revealed. Congratulations to the longlisted writers, artists, and their publishers. And well done to the judges who have whittled down 175 entries to the 43 longlisted books. As always, the complete longlist makes an excellent reading list.

Great to see so many WORD alumni featured here, and we are particularity thrilled to see WORD trustee Tina Makereti on the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction longlist for her book ‘The Mires’!
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#TheOckhams #NZBookAwards #NZLiterature

🐍💚🐍 We're celebrating the year of the SNA

🐍💚🐍 We're celebrating the year of the SNAKE! According to the Zodiac, Snakes are characterized as alert, calm, and smart in the Zodiac. if that's the vibe for 2025 we are in to it!

It's also the last year of Chris Tse's Poet Laureateship, so what better book recommendation than his award-winning book HOW TO BE DEAD IN A YEAR OF SNAKES.

#nzlit #poetlaureate #poetrylovers #lunarnewyear #ssssssssss

WORD’s Programme Director Kiran shared her summe

WORD’s Programme Director Kiran shared her summer bookstack:

“A chunky novel is essential for a summer read and I loved ‘The Bee Sting’ by Paul Murray. It’s a big-hearted Irish novel that has everything you could ask for.

I’ve cracked into an unputdownable advance copy of Catherine Chidgey’s next novel ‘The Book of Guilt’ which will be published in May. It’s set in 1979 England - right up my alley.

I was amazed to find a novel ‘The Unloved’ by one of my favourite writers Deborah Levy that I didn’t even know existed. Timely, her books are the ultimate high-end holiday reads. I’ve loved diving into ‘By the River: Essays from the Water’s Edge’, and also have the trashy looking ‘Didion & Babitz’ by Lily Anolik about two of the smartest women writers Eve Babitz and Joan Didion. And related, a juicy Hollywood family memoir ‘The Friday Afternoon Club’ by Didion’s nephew - actor and director Griffin Dunne.

I’m super excited about ‘Clay: A Human History’ by Jennifer Lucy Allan who wrote one of my favourite books, ‘The Foghorn’s Lament’. And because I’m obsessed with Irish fiction I’ve got ‘Wild Houses’ by Colin Barrett and ‘Soldier Sailor’ by Claire Kilroy to catch up on.

Finally, via a recommendation from my favourite books podcast Backlisted, I picked up the new edition of ‘Ex-Wife’ by Ursula Parrott. Originally published in 1929, it’s been described as ‘Bridget Jones in the Jazz Age.’”
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#Bookstacks #TBRPile #HolidayReading #Books
#PaulMurray #TheBeesting #TheBookOfGuilt #CatherineChidgey #JenniferLucyAllan #TheFoghornsLament #ClaireKilroy #CollinBarrett #BacklistedPodcast #JoanDidion #EveBabitz #FridayAfternoonClun #GriffinDunne #DeborahLevy #UrsulaParrott

Happy Sunday! Our Executive Director Steph shares

Happy Sunday! Our Executive Director Steph shares her summer bookstack:

“My summer holiday picks are largely what I hope will be page turners, including books by some of my favourites: Miranda July, Helen Garner and Anna Hope. Most will be read outside where at all possible, with summer treats by my side and the best albums of 2024 on in the background. I always like to throw in some non-fiction to pave the way for 2025: 52 Ways to Walk and Becoming Tangata Tiriti give you a bit of an insight into my new year’s resolutions.”
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#Bookstacks #TBRPile #HolidayReading #Books #AnnabelStreets #TaylorJenkinsReid #AnnaHope #AvrilBell #HelenGarner #MirandaJuly #MargaretAtwood

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