Past Events

CANCELLED – Stricter Forms: Between Poetic Constraint and Liberation: Mary Jean Chan

Thursday, 29 August 5:30 pm

Naked on the Page: Creative Non Fiction workshop

Thursday, 29 August 5:30 pm

In the Frame: Opening WORDs

Wednesday, 28 August 8:00 pm

ON DEMAND VIEWING – In the Frame: Opening WORDs

28 Aug - 29 Sep 2024 8:00 pm

EVENT CANCELLED: Voices of Ōtākaro

Wednesday, 28 August 7:00 pm

2024 Ngaio Marsh Awards

Wednesday, 28 August 7:00 pm

Whodunnit and Whowunnit? – 2024 Ngaio Marsh Awards

Chinese Fish and Backwaters

Wednesday, 28 August 6:30 pm

Bookshop Detectives: Louise and Gareth Ward

Wednesday, 28 August 6:00 pm

Word – The Frontline Ōtautahi 2024 Grand Slam

Tuesday, 27 August 7:00 pm

Lost the Plot! The Word Quiz Night

Tuesday, 27 August 6:30 pm

Poetry Machine

27 Aug - 01 Sep 2024 10:00 am

Inspiring Minds

Tuesday, 27 August 10:00 am

Ōtautahi is Flash!

24 Aug - 28 Oct 2024 11:00 am

Books Come Alive!

Saturday, 10 August 11:00 am

Word – The Frontline Ōtautahi 2024: Semi-Finals Heat 2

Friday, 9 August 6:30 pm

Books Alive – for primary and intermediate students

Friday, 9 August 10:00 am

Word – The Frontline Ōtautahi 2024: Semi-Finals Heat 1

Thursday, 8 August 6:30 pm

Jesse’s Reading Party: SOLD OUT!

Monday, 22 July 6:00 pm

WHAIA TE ARA O TE KAREAO: FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE KAREAO

Sunday, 27 August 6:30 pm

We close the festival with this very special event. Members of the Ngāi Tahu Archive team and Te Pae Kōrako (Ngāi Tahu Archive Advisory Committee) speak about their favourite taonga from the Ngāi Tahu Archive.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

Sunday, 27 August 5:00 pm

What do Josie Shapiro, Jessica Howland Kany and Guyon Espiner have in common? Their new books all feature running! In conversation with Alex Casey, who is not a runner.

CRITICISM IN THE SMALL POND

Sunday, 27 August 3:00 pm

Why do we need critics? What makes a good one? What are the challenges (and benefits) of being a critic in a country as small as Aotearoa New Zealand? Join us for a panel discussion about criticism in Aotearoa today.

WRITE ON SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WRITERS: MARKING 30 YEARS

Sunday, 27 August 3:00 pm

Join us to celebrate 30 years of Write On School for Young Writers, with an hour of readings by our young writers and their tutors, both past and present.

AIRANA NGAREWA: THE BONE TREE

Sunday, 27 August 3:00 pm

Airana Ngarewa (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāruahine) in-conversation about their gritty coming-of-age debut novel The Bone Tree.

TUSIATA SPEAKS, WITH JOHN CAMPBELL

Sunday, 27 August 2:30 pm

In this very special session, Tusiata Avia MNZM joins John Campbell in conversation.

WORKSHOP: POLLY BARTON: TRANSLATION SURGERY

Sunday, 27 August 2:00 pm

DESERT ISLAND DISHES

Sunday, 27 August 1:00 pm

Inspired by the hit weekly podcast of the same name, our delicious panel discusses the formative dishes that shaped who they are today and their approaches to food and cooking.

100 WORDS TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE: FLASH FICTION

Sunday, 27 August 1:00 pm

Join young flash fiction writers Hannah Daniell and Chloe Morrison-Clarke for a flash fiction workshop for youth (ages 15-19).

PIP ADAM: AUDITION

Sunday, 27 August 1:00 pm

Award-winning and breathtakingly singular voice in New Zealand fiction Pip Adam in conversation about her thrilling new novel Audition.

THE MUSIC BOOK CLUB

Sunday, 27 August 1:00 pm

Bring your favourite music book to discuss at this book club.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING QUEER JOY

Sunday, 27 August 12:30 pm

Shaneel Lal, A. J. Fitzwater and Karen Healey join Jennifer Katherine Shields in a conversation about the importance of writing queer characters and personal narratives.

GONE BY LUNCHTIME: LIVE!

Sunday, 27 August 12:30 pm

A special live edition of The Spinoff's politics podcast Gone by Lunchtime.

WORKSHOP: RUBY SOLLY: WORLDBUILDING FROM WHAKAPAPA

Sunday, 27 August 11:00 am

HIGH TEA WITH SAM MANNERING

Sunday, 27 August 10:30 am

Sam Mannering hosts this special morning tea featuring several of his own baked treats along with The George’s house specialties.

THE QUIET HERO: ANDREW BAGSHAW

Sunday, 27 August 10:30 am

In The Quiet Hero, Philip Matthews tells the extraordinary story of Andrew Bagshaw. Join Philip and Dame Sue and Phil Bagshaw, speaking with Kamala Hayman, to launch this special biography.

ŌTAUTAHI ZINEFEST

Sunday, 27 August 10:00 am

Join Ōtautahi Zinefest to celebrate the creation of zines and small press arts – all ages and abilities welcome.

ROY MONTGOMERY AND CLEMENTINE VALENTINE: LIVE

Saturday, 26 August 8:00 pm

An evening of music and spoken word with Roy Montgomery and Clementine Valentine to celebrate the launch of Montgomery's collection of verse Endurance.

DAVID KEENAN: REVERSE DIORAMA

Saturday, 26 August 6:30 pm

Whether set in small town Scotland or Belfast during The Troubles, Scottish writer David Keenan's novels are ecstatic. Don't miss this engaging speaker!

SHIFTING FOUNDATIONS

Saturday, 26 August 6:00 pm

Taking the book Shifting Foundations: Postquake Architecture of Ōtautahi Christchurch as a starting point, five speakers talk about one of their favourite post-quake buildings and imagine another in a quick-fire celebration of words and the city.

COERCION, CULTS AND CONTROL

Saturday, 26 August 5:30 pm

Anke Richter, Byron C Clark and Lilia Tarawa join Guyon Espiner to discuss how people can fall into the disinformation trap.

WRITING ON THE MARGINS

Saturday, 26 August 4:30 pm

Join Kevin Jared Hosein, Khadro Mohamed and Ross Calman (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa-ki-te-tonga, Kāi Tahu) as they discuss writing indigeneity, the retelling of history and colonisation from new perspectives.

MASTERCLASS: CATHERINE CHIDGEY: UNUSUAL NARRATORS

Saturday, 26 August 4:00 pm

LOST AND FOUND IN TRANSLATION

Saturday, 26 August 3:00 pm

Polly Barton (UK) and Ross Calman (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu) discuss what can be lost and found during the art of translation.

ŌTAUTAHI ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR

Saturday, 26 August 3:00 pm

Explore Ōtautahi's CBD through fresh eyes with this guided walking tour by John Walsh and Patrick Reynolds.

COOKING THE BOOKS: FINANCE WITH FRANCES COOK

Saturday, 26 August 3:00 pm

Business journalist Frances Cook, in conversation with Guyon Espiner about practical and achievable financial advice.

SHANEEL LAL: ONE OF THEM

Saturday, 26 August 2:30 pm

2023 Young New Zealander of the Year Shaneel Lal in conversation with Mahdis Azarmandi about their stunning and powerful memoir One of Them.

GABRIEL KRAUZE: WHO THEY WAS

Saturday, 26 August 2:30 pm

Gabriel Krauze has an extraordinary presence. The British writer’s incendiary autobiographical novel, Who They Was, longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, tells the story of a young man straddling two cultures: the university where he is studying English literature and the murky underworld of London gang warfare.

THE GREAT WORD STORY HUNT

Saturday, 26 August 2:00 pm

The Great WORD Story Hunt is back. Grab the whānau and find clues hidden in the library that will lead you to the next story.

MASTERCLASS: PIP ADAM: A HORSE WALKS INTO A BAR

Saturday, 26 August 1:30 pm

POLLY BARTON: ORAL HISTORIES

Saturday, 26 August 12:30 pm

British writer and translator Polly Barton in conversation with Melody Thomas about her books Porn: An Oral History and memoir Fifty Sounds.

THE LOST ART OF LETTER WRITING

26 Aug - 27 Aug 2023 11:00 am

Love notes and travel stories, heartbreak and haiku – signed, sealed and delivered by you. The Lost Art of Letter Writing is a chance for you to send letters to, and receive them from, strangers.

FUNGI: A CURIOUS HIKOI WITH LIV SISSON

26 Aug - 27 Aug 2023 10:30 am

Join Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s Field Guide author Liv Sisson for a stroll and a forage in our own urban garden. Walk along the Avon River/Ōtākaro to discover what delights can be found along the banks.

DR HINEMOA ELDER AND DR EMMA ESPINER: MAKING IT BETTER

Saturday, 26 August 10:30 am

Dr Hinemoa Elder (Ngāti Kurī, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi) and Dr Emma Espiner’s (Ngāti Tukorehe, Ngāti Porou) share a kōrero about their mahi in healthcare and their beautiful books.

MASTERCLASS: ANNA ROGERS: BEHIND THE RED PEN – HOW EDITING WORKS

Saturday, 26 August 10:30 am

POU KOHIKOHINGA MĀORI IN RESIDENCE

Saturday, 26 August 10:00 am

Meet Tūranga's Pou Kohikohinga Māori - Māori Collection Specialists who are available to answer any of your queries relating to our Ngā Pounamu Māori collection, whakapapa, or any other kaupapa Māori research.

RAY SHIPLEY’S LATE NIGHT POETRY HOUR

Friday, 25 August 9:00 pm

Christchurch’s favourite nocturnal salon brings together visiting out-of-towners and hot locals for a memorable night of poetry, shenanigans, feelings and staying up far too late.

KEENAN AND RUSSELL: LIVE

Friday, 25 August 8:00 pm

Cult Scottish author David Keenan joins cult New Zealand musician Bruce Russell for a set of free improvised music and readings from Keenan’s modernist masterpiece Monument Maker.

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

Friday, 25 August 7:00 pm

Our ever-popular tiny lecture series returns as Emily Perkins, Gabriel Krauze, Andrew Paul Wood, Melody Thomas and Juanita Hepi share their weird and wonderful deep obsessions.

UNRULY MEMORIES

Friday, 25 August 6:00 pm

Nathan Joe, Claudia Jardine, Isla Huia (Te Āti Haunui a-Pāpārangi, Uenuku), Frankie McMillan and Ariana Tikao (Kāi Tahu) come together to weave words within the bricks, mortar and stone of The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora.

AI VS LIBRARIANS

Friday, 25 August 6:00 pm

Is artificial intelligence any match for the combined years of wisdom of Tūranga’s reading advisor librarians? Join us for a fun hour of human vs machine, AI vs librarian.

TE KĀHUI ŌHUA

Friday, 25 August 5:30 pm

This casual, monthly reading group celebrates the content of Tūranga's Ngā Pounamu Māori collection. Each month members choose any book from the collection – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s, Adults – and shares back with the rest of the group.

WEAR YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK

Friday, 25 August 5:30 pm

Learn the basics of graphic design to create an artwork inspired by your favourite book using Tūranga's vinyl printing gear.

SUMMONING WHAKAPAPA

Friday, 25 August 5:00 pm

Ruby Solly (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe) and Ariana Tikao (Kāi Tahu) discuss writing family histories and the protection of whakapapa with Helen Brown (Ngāi Tahu).

WORKSHOP: VANA MANASIADIS: THE POETIC TURN

Friday, 25 August 4:00 pm

MASTERCLASS: MELODY THOMAS: PODCASTING

Friday, 25 August 1:30 pm

MASTERCLASS: BYRON C CLARK: INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH

Friday, 25 August 10:30 am

DIRTY PASSPORTS

Thursday, 24 August 8:00 pm

Bringing this sell-out show to his hometown, Chinese-Kiwi playwright Nathan Joe has curated a celebration of the finest BIPOC storytellers and spoken word artists.

NAMING THE SIRENS

Thursday, 24 August 6:00 pm

Join Sudden Valley Press poets Gail Ingram, Jeni Curtis, Janet Wainscott and Marisa Cappetta for a celebration of local poetry.

AMY HEAD: SIGNS OF LIFE

Thursday, 24 August 5:30 pm

Join us at Scorpio Books for the launch of Amy Head's new short story collection Signs of Life.

MEET THE BOOK WITCH

24 Aug - 25 Aug 2023 3:00 pm

The Book Witch will use her crystal ball, magical powers, and tarot cards to help match curious young adult readers with the books of their dreams.

TĪMATAKA

Wednesday, 23 August 8:00 pm

Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Paoa), Ruby Solly (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe) and Ariana Tīkao (Kāi Tahu) open the festival with a stirring and soul-warming evening of storytelling, poetry and waiata.

ŌTAUTAHI POETRY SLAM FINAL

Wednesday, 23 August 7:00 pm

The rough diamond in the crown of the poetry calendar!

LOST THE PLOT! THE WORD QUIZ NIGHT

Wednesday, 23 August 6:30 pm

Who doesn't love a quiz? Roll up for this quiz night with your host Ray Shipley.

RANGAHAU Ā IWI – NGĀTI TAMA

Wednesday, 23 August 6:00 pm

Pou Kohikohinga Māori – Tūranga's Māori Collection Specialists - share insights, resources and key texts for iwi research that are available in their collections. In August the spotlight is on Ngāti Tama.

THE ART OF WINNING WITH DAN CARTER

Tuesday, 22 August 6:00 pm

Global sports icon and superstar of international rugby Dan Carter joins Duncan Greive in conversation to discuss his life and work, why great leaders are made, not born, and why they must constantly evolve.

CRIME AFTER CRIME: NGAIO MARSH AWARDS EDITION

Thursday, 15 September 6:30 pm

Three global crime-writing heavyweights discuss the inner workings of the criminal mind - and reveal the winners of the 2022 Ngaio Marsh Awards.

TĀNGATA NGĀI TAHU: PEOPLE OF NGĀI TAHU 2

04 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 4:00 pm

Join Tā Tipene O'Regan, Helen Brown and Michael Stevens for a journey through some extraordinary Ngāi Tahu lives.

POETRY FOR THE NERVOUS – READING IT, WRITING IT, GETTING IT

Sunday, 4 September 3:00 pm

Join Joanna Preston for this workshop designed to bring you gently into the world of poetry.

JO BURZYNSKA AND KIRAN DASS: WORDS/WINE/ SOUND

Sunday, 4 September 3:00 pm

Join wine writer, sound artist and multisensory researcher Dr Jo Burzynska and WORD Programme Manager, writer and critic Kiran Dass to explore the fascinating intersections between words, wine and sound.

INFIDELITY, DOMESTIC LIFE & DESIRE

Sunday, 4 September 2:30 pm

Tracey Slaughter, Brannavan Gnanalingam and Murdoch Stephens chat about the harsh realities of domestic life and parenting, desire and rage, loss and sexual politics in their books.

JULIE KING MEMORIAL LECTURE: TAONGA MĀORI AND CHRISTIAN MISSIONS

Sunday, 4 September 2:00 pm

Professor Deidre Brown presents the fascinating story of the trade in treasures between 19th-century Māori and Christian missionaries.

MAKE IT, SAY IT, DO IT NOW

Sunday, 4 September 2:00 pm

Under 25 with a message to spread or a story to tell? Come down for a mashup of free workshops, stalls and creative crafts.

CHRIS FINLAYSON: THE INNER CIRCLE

04 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 2:00 pm

Christopher Finlayson was in the engine room of the John Key-led National government. He speaks with Kim Hill about his remarkable career, and getting to know the real John Key.

HAPPINESS AND OTHER BAD IDEAS

Sunday, 4 September 12:30 pm

What makes our moods? What do meditation and medication do to our brains? Is it better to be happy or do good?

GUYON ESPINER: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM MASTERCLASS

Sunday, 4 September 12:30 pm

Learn the nuts and bolts of interviewing, journalism techniques, information gathering and structuring a story in this masterclass with award-winning RNZ journalist Guyon Espiner.

DON’T SWEAT IT: MENOPAUSE

04 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 12:00 pm

Nicky Pellegrino and Miriama Kamo share a candid and witty conversation about the realities of menopause, and how to navigate this often-challenging phase of life.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: SARAH KRASNOSTEIN

04 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 12:00 pm

Sarah Krasnostein is one of the finest observers of human nature writing today. She joins Kim Hill to unpack the lives of ordinary people who believe in the extraordinary: things most people would consider impossible.

THE BETTER BRAIN

Sunday, 4 September 11:00 am

Dr Julia Rucklidge has spent decades looking at nutrition, anxiety, depression and stress. She discusses why we need to be mindful of what we eat.

NICK BOLLINGER: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE COUNTERCULTURE IN AOTEAROA

Sunday, 4 September 10:30 am

Join Nick Bollinger in conversation with Philip Matthews about the colourful transformation of New Zealand life wrought by the counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s.

LLOYD JONES: IMAGINATIVE RISK MASTERCLASS

Sunday, 4 September 10:00 am

A unique masterclass with Lloyd Jones which will explore the crucial role of 'imaginative risk' in writing.

KATE DE GOLDI: EARTHQUAKES AND CATHEDRALS

04 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 10:00 am

Kate De Goldi in conversation with Liz Grant about her new novel Eddy Eddy.

HE WAIATA HOU – INDIGENOUS WRITERS HUI

Sunday, 4 September 10:00 am

As a Māori or Pasifika storyteller, what do you want the future of indigenous storytelling to look like?

THE FARAWAY NEAR: OTTESSA MOSHFEGH

Sunday, 4 September 10:00 am

Ottessa Moshfegh is the queen of bitingly mordant, unsettling and atmospheric fiction. She joins us from Southern California to talk about her new novel Lapvona.

CONFLUENCE 2.0

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 8:30 pm

Confluence brings together Pasfika and Māori musicians and poets for a joyous celebration of connections between Polynesia and Aotearoa.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: LUKE HARDING

Saturday, 3 September 8:00 pm

Veteran Guardian foreign correspondent and former Russia bureau chief Luke Harding speaks with Guyon Espiner about the war in Ukraine.

THE STARDUST CABARET

Saturday, 3 September 7:30 pm

Get cosy in the Little Andromeda bar for fabulous star-infused performances from poets, spec-fic authors, observationists and storytellers.

INSIDE THE WEALTH GAP: STORIES AND STATS

Saturday, 3 September 6:30 pm

Economics commentator Max Rashbrooke and chronicler of life on the poverty line, author, playwright and poet Dominic Hoey, talk wealth, poverty and opportunity with Danyl McLauchlan.

INDELIBLE: TATTOO TALES

Saturday, 3 September 6:30 pm

Step into a working tattoo studio to hear writers and artists reveal the tales behind their ink: what they mean, why they got them, how the world reacts.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: ANNIE ZAIDI

Saturday, 3 September 6:00 pm

Prize-winning Indian novelist, playwright, journalist and film maker Annie Zaidi takes you into the heart of Mumbai with Dr Hafsa Ahmed.

ADVENTUROUS WOMEN

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 5:30 pm

One of our most popular storytelling sessions returns with a bang. Prepare to be inspired and moved as five extraordinary but very different women tell powerful stories of bravery and risk from their own adventurous lives.

FOUNDATION POP-UP FESTIVAL

Saturday, 3 September 5:00 pm

Our festival-within-a-festival is back for another marathon of stunning performances and outrageous gimmicks.

NO OTHER PLACE TO STAND: CREATIVITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Saturday, 3 September 4:30 pm

How do we adapt, mitigate and create in response to the climate crisis? Can good writing get us past the language of science and policy to where the ecological and human meet?

MOHAMED HASSAN: PERSONAL ESSAYS MASTERCLASS

Saturday, 3 September 3:00 pm

Join Mohamed Hassan in this masterclass that weaves together storytelling, journalism and memoir to explore how a personal essay can help you tell your story.

NUKU: 100 KICKASS INDIGENOUS WOMEN

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 3:00 pm

Join NUKU founder Qiane Matata-Sipu for kōrero and kai with three dynamic women from the NUKU book: broadcaster and te reo champion Stacey Morrison, 15-year-old CEO and author Georgia Latu and poet and leadership executive Dr Karlo Mila.

WAR AND PEACE

Saturday, 3 September 2:30 pm

Ross Calman and Dr Te Maire Tau on the life of Te Rauparaha, the turbulent history between Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Toa and the peace marriages that followed.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: HEATHER MORRIS

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 2:00 pm

Join Heather Morris, author of the blockbuster The Tattooist of Auschwitz, in conversation about her gripping new novel Three Sisters.

LLOYD JONES: MODERN FABLES

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 1:00 pm

Join Lloyd Jones in conversation about how myths, fables and legends shape our understanding of the past, and of ourselves.

THE GENTRIFICATION BLUES AND COMEDY HOUR

Saturday, 3 September 12:30 pm

Two gifted satirists, Coco Solid and Murdoch Stephens, tackle housing and gentrification in their recent books. Join them for a sparky conversation about the places we live.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 12:00 pm

Emily St John Mandel, author of Station Eleven, joins Rachael King from New York City to discuss a writer’s life during a pandemic, the power of imagination, and her new novel, Sea of Tranquility.

SUE ORR: CHARACTER WORKSHOP

Saturday, 3 September 12:00 pm

This workshop will help you to discover two essential ingredients for new work – a pulsating idea and a voice (character) to tell the tale.

MATARIKI: STORIES AND STARS

03 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 11:00 am

Bring the whole whānau down for Matariki stories from Aotearoa, the Pacific Islands, Australia, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Africa, with award-winning journalist and author Miriama Kamo, and Māori astronomer Victoria Campbell.

REMEMBERING THE FUTURE, REIMAGINING THE PAST

Saturday, 3 September 10:30 am

Whiti Hereaka, Sascha Stronach and Cassie Hart on the craft of reimagining the past, present and future in their fiction.

MEGAN DUNN: WRITING FROM LIFE MASTERCLASS

Saturday, 3 September 10:00 am

Join Megan Dunn for a masterclass exploring how writing from life is an active fiction.

THE GREAT WORD STORY HUNT

Saturday, 3 September 10:00 am

The Great WORD Story Hunt is back. Grab the whānau and find clues hidden in the library that will lead you to the next story.

RAY SHIPLEY’S LATE NIGHT POETRY HOUR

Friday, 2 September 9:00 pm

Ray Shipley hosts Dominic Hoey, Mohamed Hassan, Vana Manasiadis and Emma Barnes in Christchurch's favourite nocturnal salon.

KERI HULME: HE KŌTUKU REREKA TAHI

02 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 8:30 pm

A very special night of storytelling, whisky and guitars to celebrate the life and art of the brilliant Keri Hulme.

AFTER DARK: NIGHT WALKING WITH ANNETTE LEES

Friday, 2 September 7:30 pm

Annette Lees guides you through nature’s reclamation of the Avon Loop, revealing the sights, sounds, creatures and stars that emerge when the sun goes down.

A CABINET OF CURIOSITIES: TINY LECTURES ON THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

Friday, 2 September 7:30 pm

Tiny lectures which celebrate the weird and wonderful!

CELEBRATING CULTURE AND SISTER CITIES

Friday, 2 September 7:00 pm

New Zealand poets join forces with Chinese musicians in celebration of the sister city relationship between Waimakariri and Enshi, China,

MELANI ANAE: FIFTY YEARS OF THE POLYNESIAN PANTHERS

Friday, 2 September 6:00 pm

Dr Melani Anae and Rev Alec Toleafoa reflect on the apology for the Dawn Raids, and five decades spent in peaceful resistance, educating New Zealand about ongoing racism, and Pasifika empowerment.

NOELLE MCCARTHY: GRAND

02 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 6:00 pm

Noelle McCarthy in conversation about her razor-sharp, raw and luminous memoir Grand.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: PIP WILLIAMS

02 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 6:00 pm

Pip Williams joins Nicky Pellegrino live from Adelaide to discuss The Dictionary of Lost Words, her best-selling novel that shows the English language in a new light.

HUMANS OF NEW ZEALAND

Friday, 2 September 5:30 pm

Join Rebecca K. Reilly, Sue Orr and Chloe Lane in conversation with Kate De Goldi about the murky intricacies of emotional, sexual and family politics and dynamics explored in their novels.

OUT HERE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF TAKATĀPUI AND LGBTQIA+ WRITERS FROM AOTEAROA

Friday, 2 September 4:00 pm

Chris Tse and Emma Barnes host a range of special guests for a deep dive into the brilliance and diversity of Queer writing today.

HOW TO BE (A BAD) MUSLIM

Friday, 2 September 3:30 pm

Journalist, poet and observer of human behaviour Mohamed Hassan asks what it means to be Muslim in the 21st century.

PERIPATOS* IN PŪTARINGAMOTU

Friday, 2 September 3:30 pm

Vana Manasiadis and Kerry Dononvan Brown invite you to wander through a pocket of ancient bush, respond to writing prompts, engage your senses, think about space, history and deep time – and to write.

DAME FIONA KIDMAN: WRITING MEMOIR MASTERCLASS

Friday, 2 September 3:00 pm

Learn about the art and craft of writing memoir in this masterclass by Dame Fiona Kidman.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: RACHEL KUSHNER

Friday, 2 September 2:00 pm

Take a spin through America’s heady counter-culture with celebrated US author Rachel Kushner.

MANA WĀHINE: INFLUENCE AND CRAFT

Friday, 2 September 1:30 pm

A kōrero with Coco Solid, Rebecca K Reilly and Nicole Titihuia Hawkins about the writing, art, music or people inspire them, and how these influences show up in their work.

TAKEN PLACES: SENSE OF PLACE AND BODY IN THE SHORT STORY WORKSHOP

Friday, 2 September 1:00 pm

In this workshop, Tracey Slaughter explores how to achieve grounded, dynamic writing in the short story form.

NATURE UNSEEN: A CONVERSATION WITH ANNETTE LEES

02 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 12:00 pm

Annette Lees on a life spent walking at night, and the pleasures of trying to capture the natural world through words.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE

Friday, 2 September 12:00 pm

Tenacious New Yorker staff reporter Patrick Radden Keefe joins us from New York to talk about his gripping books Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty and the newly published Rogues: True Stories if Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: REBECCA SOLNIT

Friday, 2 September 10:00 am

Renowned writer and activist Rebecca Solnit joins Morgan Godfery live from the US to talk George Orwell, roses, climate, resistance and love.

WHOSE LIFE IS IT, ANYWAY?

02 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 10:00 am

Join three remarkable authors Ruth Shaw, Megan Dunn and Clementine Ford for a discussion on the complexities, challenges and joys of writing memoir.

ROSS CALMAN: HONING YOUR WRITING AND EDITING BASICS WORKSHOP

Friday, 2 September 10:00 am

Whether you want to professionally present your own work, or hone your editing skills to improve other people's writing, this is the workshop for you.

DAVID MITCHELL & TINY RUINS: IF I WERE A STORY AND YOU WERE A SONG

Thursday, 1 September 8:30 pm

Acclaimed British writer David Mitchell digitally joins singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook of Tiny Ruins for a unique and intimate performance.

THE FARAWAY NEAR: DAVID MITCHELL

Thursday, 1 September 6:00 pm

Gifted novelist and screenwriter David Mitchell beams in from his home in Ireland to talk about creativity, fictional worlds, and his stunning WORD collaboration with Tiny Ruins.

THE MUSEUM OF UNRULY DESIRES

Thursday, 1 September 6:00 pm

Take an after-dark tour of the museum, with poets waiting beside favourite taonga to read work that illuminates these treasures in surprising ways.

CLEMENTINE FORD: HOW WE LOVE

Thursday, 1 September 6:00 pm

Fearless contemporary feminist Clementine Ford turns from manifesto to memoir, using her own life to reflect on the nature of love itself.

DAME FIONA KIDMAN: SO FAR, FOR NOW

01 Sep - 19 Sep 2022 4:00 pm

Join Dame Fiona Kidman in conversation with Morrin Rout about her memoir So Far, For Now.

Read Aloud Schools Day: Session 2

Thursday, 1 September 11:45 am

The Read Aloud Schools Day is back for another year. As always, we bring six exciting children’s writers across two sessions to the stage, free for all primary and intermediate schools in Canterbury.

Secondary Schools Programme

Thursday, 1 September 10:00 am

Once again, we’re offering incredible speakers to Christchurch secondary schools, absolutely free of charge.

Read Aloud Schools Day: Session 1

Thursday, 1 September 9:45 am

TE PIKI O TĀWHAKI – 8:00 PM

Wednesday, 31 August 8:00 pm

WORD transforms Tūranga to tell the story of Tāwhaki which is woven into the building itself, using the spectacular central staircase as the stage.

CHRISTCHURCH POETRY SLAM

Wednesday, 31 August 7:00 pm

Poets set aside the niceties and throw down like their lives depend on it. Did they nail it? You be the judge.

TE PIKI O TĀWHAKI – 6:30 PM

Wednesday, 31 August 6:30 pm

WORD transforms Tūranga to bring to life the story of Tāwhaki which is woven into the building itself, using the spectacular central staircase as the stage.

BOOK LAUNCH: THE WANDERING NATURE OF US GIRLS

Wednesday, 31 August 6:00 pm

Join CUP to celebrate the launch of The Wandering Nature of Us Girls, Frankie McMillan’s new collection of exquisite, genre-defying prose.

HAIKU HIKE

Wednesday, 31 August 12:30 pm

Internationally award-winning haiku poet Doc Drumheller brings the ancient Japanese ginko, or haiku walk, into Waimakariri schools.

MAGAZINE-IN-RESIDENCE: TAKAHĒ

31 Aug - 04 Sep 2022 12:00 pm

Takahē is setting up shop and making an issue on-site during WORD. Drop in to find out what goes on behind the scenes at a literary magazine.

Out and About on New Regent Street

31 Aug - 04 Sep 2022 10:00 am

Out and About on New Regent Street takes framed poems from the new Out Here: An Anthology of Takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ Writers from Aotearoa into our favourite restaurants, bars and shops on New Regent Street. Track them down and be in to win.

AN EVENING WITH LIANE MORIARTY

Saturday, 27 August 7:00 pm

Catch mega-bestselling author Liane Moriarty live on stage for a warm and wise conversation about family life, love and friendship, and the darkness that can lie beneath the veneer of seemingly perfect lives.

Past Events

The Savage Coloniser – Schools Matinee

The Savage Coloniser Show

Whaia te ara o te Kareao: Follow the path of the Kareao

BBQ Economics

Ko Kāi Tahu me Te Tiriti – CANCELLED

How Not to Start a Cult: Anke Richter

Pacific Arts Aotearoa

Hosting with Tina Duncan

The Modern Māori Short Story

Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa

A Home Across the World: Writing Memoirs of Exile and Belonging

Hidden Narratives: Saraid de Silva and romesh dissanayake

Why Am I Like This? Dr Jen Martin

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Why Am I Like This? Dr Jen Martin

Māori in the City

Otherhood: Being Childless, Childfree and Child Adjacent

Writing Nature Poetry for the 21st Century

Matt Heath’s Dad’s Day Brunch

Homecoming Poems LIVE: Nathan Joe and Bea Gladding

Confluence

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Confluence

Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Society Presents . . .

Kinships: Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe and Tayi Tibble

Aotearoa: A Gangster’s Paradise?

Gems from the Archives

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Aotearoa: A Gangster’s Paradise?

Dawn Raids Reading: Pacific Underground at 30

Foraging with Peter Langlands (pm)

What Does a Māori Spaceship Look Like? Worldbuilding

The Mermaid Chronicles: Megan Dunn

Narrative Threads: Airini Beautrais and David Coventry

Strong Female Characters: Christine Jeffs and Emily Perkins

Rangatahi Boogie

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Strong Female Characters: Christine Jeffs and Emily Perkins

Ki Uta Ki Tai – Native Plants of Ōtautahi (pm)

Storywalk (pm)

Archives 101: Jared Davidson

The Stirrings – Aotearoa to Sheffield: Catherine Taylor

Multidisciplinary Māori Writers

RNZ’s Māpuna: LIVE

Ki Uta Ki Tai – Native Plants of Ōtautahi (am)

Storywalk (am)

Signs of Life

Zinefest 2024

Adventures with Books: Claire Mabey & Rachael King

The Women We Travel Through: Talia Marshall

Writing Short Stories: Emma Hislop

Foraging with Peter Langlands (am)

Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour

Kommi me ana Tipua

Bad Diaries Salon

Romancing AI

Risky Women

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Risky Women

Ideal Home Noise: Vera Ellen on Songwriting

The Power of Community

Rage on the page

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Rage on the Page

Rugby League in New Zealand: A People’s History: Ryan Bodman

Small Stories of Colonisation: Richard Shaw

Hine Toa: Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku

ON DEMAND VIEWING – Hine Toa: Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku

Critters of Aotearoa And Six Legged Ghosts: Lily Duval & Nicola Toki

Writing Power: Pip Adam & Jared Davidson

True Stories of Death and Desperation: Steve Braunias

ON DEMAND VIEWING – True Stories of Death and Desperation: Steve Braunias

The Mires: Tina Makereti

Te kākahu huruhuru o te Tiriti

Still Standing: Anna Crighton

Fragrant Texts

Cabinet of Curiosities: Tiny Lectures on the Weird and Wonderful

Unpopular Opinions: Ink and Innovation

He Māori?

Ahakoa He Iti He Pounamu: A Poetry Reading

CANCELLED – Stricter Forms: Between Poetic Constraint and Liberation: Mary Jean Chan

Naked on the Page: Creative Non Fiction workshop

In the Frame: Opening WORDs

ON DEMAND VIEWING – In the Frame: Opening WORDs

EVENT CANCELLED: Voices of Ōtākaro