2024
The WORD Christchurch Festival was held Tuesday 27 August – Sunday 1 September. 5 international guests joined 208 local writers, thinkers and artists in 77 events. Highlights included the Word the Frontline High Schools Poetry Grand Slam, and international guest Catherine Taylor (UK). WORD held their first ever event in Te Ara Ātea in Rolleston in early August for children and their whānau, and presented the theatre show The Savage Coloniser Show by Tusiata Avia in mid September.
The festival audience was estimated at 18,762 in total, including approximately 9,000 engaging with our special festival installation Ōtautahi is Flash! which was up at The Crossing for three weeks.
Our events were programmed by Programme Director Kiran Dass alongside our 2024 Programmers at Large Jordan Tricklebank (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Mahuta) and Tayi Tibble (Ngāti Porou/Te Whānau ā Apanui).
Throughout the year WORD also held several events, including hosting international guests Richard Ford (USA), Trent Dalton (Australia) and Sinead Gleeson (Ireland).
Programme Director: Kiran Dass. Executive Director: Steph Walker.
2023
WORD’s Festival was held 23 – 27 August. Six international guests joined approximately 148 local writers, thinkers and artists in 76 events. Highlights included opening event Tīmataka with two Ngāi Tahu wāhine, Ariana Tikao and Ruby Solly alongside Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Paoa) performing their poetry, and playing taonga puoro, and the undisputed superstar of WORD Christchurch 2023 Gabriel Krauze (UK). The festival audience was estimated at 10,351 in total.
Programmed by Programme Director Kiran Dass alongside our three 2023 Programmers at Large Melanie Dixon, Audrey Baldwin, and Catarina de Peters Leitão (nō Te Whānau-ā-Apanui).
Throughout the year WORD also held several events, including hosting Booker prize-winning author Eleanor Catton, British writer Ben McIntyre, and Australian historian Peter FitzSimons.
Programme Director: Kiran Dass. Executive Director: Steph Walker.
2022
The Festival was held 31 August – 4 September. 4 international guests joined 167 local writers, thinkers and artists in 74 events. Highlights included a tribute to Keri Hulme from whānau and fans, and
The festival audience was estimated at 8,315 in total.
Throughout the year WORD also held several events, including comedian Chris Parker in conversation with Jason Gunn, Behrouz Bouchani in discussion with Tina Makereti, and a launch and panel discussion for Needles and Plastic: Flying Nun by Matthew Goody (Canada).
Programme Director: Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu). Executive Director: Steph Walker.
2021
PROGRAMME
WORD Christchurch Festival was held 9-13 November.
In 2020 a decision was made to have an annual festival for the next three years as they would be smaller with restrictions due to COVID, and could focus on New Zealand writers given international travel was compromised. A week before the festival was due to start in August there was a government lockdown called. Several of the events had already sold out. With the restrictions and change in dates, these sold old events at The Piano, with a new limit of 100 people, necessitated refunding two thirds of the tickets and in some cases were cancelled altogether. The events at the James Hay theatre had a limit of 200, but with the transferring of these events to the Auditorium at the Christchurch Town Hall we were able to exceed that number. The schools’ programme was cancelled due to restrictions on numbers in venues. We were satisfied with attendance due to the challenging times and reluctance of some people to venture out into public spaces under the current alert levels. Covid tracing was mandatory in venues and mask wearing at all times. The events were livestreamed so people could watch from home. Around 450 people viewed the events via the livestream links.
Highlights included sessions with Helen Clark, Abbas Nazari, and Patricia Grace in the Town Hall Auditorium, with spaced-out audience for COVID guidelines compliance. Another highlight was the innovative hybrid live-digital event series ‘The Faraway Near’.
43 Events, 158 Speakers, 5 Venues, 3,500 Festival Attendances
Programme Directors: Rachael King and Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu). Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2020
WORD Christchurch Festival was held 28 October – 1 November. 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, with the global pandemic, and WORD Christchurch was no exception. But the cancellation of the festival in August was an opportunity to create a new WORD Christchurch Spring Festival in October and to concentrate on homegrown talent. While there were fewer events, and subsequently a smaller audience, the first day of ticket sales was the biggest first day ever, as audiences bought tickets in COVID-19 Alert Level 2. Many events sold out almost immediately due to the cap on attendees.
The quality of events was in no way diminished by the lack of international stars, and many ticket buyers stated in the audience survey post-festival that it was the best WORD Festival they had attended, and that the inclusion of all-New Zealand speakers added an extra layer of intimacy they appreciated.
65 Events, 150 Speakers, 20 Venues, 7,000 Festival Attendances, 480 Primary School Students
Programme Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2019
A non-festival year, WORD partnered with several organisations to present events throughout the year.
WORD Christchurch assisted in bringing Behrouz Boochani (award-winning Kurdish writer, journalist, scholar, cultural advocate and filmmaker) from Port Moresby to New Zealand. This was a significant move for WORD to facilitate his entry to New Zealand and garnered the attention of international media.
41 Events, 64 New Zealand and 22 international Speakers, 16 Venues, 7,555 Attendances.
The organisation was awarded the NZ Book Industry Innovation Award by NZ Booksellers Ltd at their Awards in August 2019.
Programme Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2018
WORD Christchurch festival was held 29 August – 2 September 2018. WORD continued to develop its reputation and presence in and around Christchurch in the two years since the previous biennial festival. The strength and diversity of the programme in 2018, strong media and industry support and careful marketing — along with a loyal audience base — resulted in a 25% increase in attendance, a large majority of those being first-time attendees.
WORD partnered with the Sister Cities Committee at Christchurch City Council, which resulted in the attendance of two writers from Seattle. the British Council, Creative Scotland, Bloody Scotland and the Edinburgh International Book Festival worked with WORD to bring a contingent of Scottish writers for a wide variety of events. This association resulted from Creative New Zealand support for Programme Director Rachael King to attend the Edinburgh Festival in 2017.
Highlights included Philip Hoare’s whale watching expedition to Kaikōura the day before the festival opened, Helen Clark with then-Mayor Lianne Dalziel, and the sold-out Debate and Gala.
94 Events, 160 Speakers, 32 Venues, 15,000 Attendances.
Programme Director Rachael King and Guest Programmer Tusiata Avia. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2017
Following the successful festival of 2016, WORD Christchurch looked to 2017 as a year to maintain a presence in the community by holding one-off literary events, keeping in contact with stakeholders via regular newsletters and collaborating with other organisations to build new audiences, while strengthening the organisation itself.
Rachael King led a delegation of New Zealand writers to the Edinburgh Book Festival. This collaboration with Creative New Zealand was successful and enabled several Scottish writers to come to Christchurch for the Festival in 2018 as well as establishing contacts with other literary people from different countries.
International Writers appearing in events were: Gregg Hurwitz, Ian Rankin, Stella Duffy, A. N. Wilson, James Gleick, Ivan Coyote, Anne Enright, Clementine Ford, Renni Eddo-Lodge, John Safran, Peter Garrett and David Walliams.
29 Events, 45 Speakers, 11 Venues, 6,423 Attendances.
Programme Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2016
24–28 August 2016
WORD Christchurch’s reputation spread far and wide over the two years since the last biennial festival, and in 2016 the WORD Christchurch Festival was an eagerly anticipated event. The availability of new venues in the city, the strength and diversity of the programme, strong media and industry support and careful marketing — along with a loyal and vocal audience base — resulted in a 50% increase in attendance, exceeding all targets.
After years of venue drought after the earthquakes, the festival was fortunate to be able to use newly opened Piano Centre for Music and the Arts. This was the first major event held at The Piano, and the entire ground floor proved a magnificent facility, with three different venues, accommodating backstage areas, a wonderful atrium and a commercial kitchen, all of which allowed us to run the festival at full capacity. It was a thrill to see the buzz this brought back to the city. The venues were supplemented by the nearby Isaac Theatre Royal and the Philip Carter Family Auditorium at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. The response to these venues showed the confidence people felt in returning to the CBD.
The programme was varied and challenging, presenting a wide range of topics in both individual and panel sessions, along with sold-out workshops. Several connections were made with other partners, including the Sister Cities Committee at Christchurch City Council, which resulted in indigenous writers from Adelaide and Seattle combining in a workshop with Ngāi Tahu writers. WORD worked with the New Zealand Book Council to present the finalists from the Children’s Book Awards in a free day of events for school students. The secondary schools had a free session with some of the international writers in a partnership with University of Canterbury. The Royal Society and the French Embassy brought two French sustainable city experts to Christchurch as part of a nationwide discussion on the topic, broadcast by RNZ.
80 Events, 181 Speakers, 13 Venues, 12,000 Attendances.
Programme Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2015
Following the successful festival of 2014, WORD Christchurch looked to 2015 as a year to maintain a presence in the community by holding one-off literary events, keep in contact with stakeholders via regular newsletters and collaborate with other organisations to build new audiences, while strengthening the organisation itself. The office was in a Heritage Building on the Corner of Bealey Ave and Victoria St.
The Autumn Season: 12-17 May
Shifting Points of View: 30 August – 15 September
22 Events, 32 Speakers, 11 Venues, 3,256 Attendances.
Programme Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2014
The Christchurch Book Festival Trust launched WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival & Events as a new brand in July 2014 and the festival was held 27 – 31 August 2014. The organisation had developed strategic relationships with other festivals and grown to include both activities in non-festival years and additional events in the years when the festival is held. The renaming was a response to confusion caused by such non-festival events being presented under the Christchurch Writers Festival title.
Following the launch and the success of the festival in August, WORD Christchurch became a recognised name throughout the country, and is seen as the major presenter of literary and book-focused events in the South Island.
Despite the challenging venue situation still apparent in Christchurch, we were determined that the festival would be a presence in the central city, so anchored it around Latimer Square, utilising the conference facilities at Rydges Latimer and the Transitional Cathedral and spread out to include other venues.
The return to the city was a popular decision that led to increased attendance. Eight thousand people attended the different sessions, and with the library exhibitions and Art Box installations, more than 12,000 experienced a part of the festival.
The international guests were: Ruth Reichl (US), Diane Setterfield (UK), Laini Taylor (US), NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), Richard King (Australia), Jackie French (Australia), Anis Mojgani (US), Luke Harding (UK), Damon Young (Australia), Dave Graney (Australia), Kristin Hersch (US), Reed Kroloff (US), Meg Wolitzer (US), Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Iceland) and Shigeru Ban (Japan).
The inaugural Margaret Mahy Memorial Lecture was delivered by Elizabeth Knox with her talk, ‘An Unreal House Filled With Real Storms’.
72 Events, 137 Speakers, 11 Venues, 7,860 Attendances.
Literary Director: Rachael King. Executive Director: Marianne Hargreaves.
2013
In 2013 following the successful post-earthquake festival of 2012, The Christchurch Book Festival Trust maintained the strategy of staging one-off literary events in non-festival years. A range of events were held and we worked with other organisations to retain and build new audiences. Various venues including libraries around the city, a school and the Christchurch Arts Festival Club were utilised.
International writers presented were Sir Max Hastings, Sylvie Simmons and Kathy Reichs.
15 Events, 29 Speakers, 9 Venues, 1,624 Attendances.
Festival Director Marianne Hargreaves. Literary Director (from September 2013) Rachael King.
2012
The 2012 festival was held 30 August – 2 September.
The Christchurch Book Festival Trust’s primary aim for 2012 was to re-establish the festival within the cultural programme of the city after two cancellations, in 2010 and 2011, following the earthquakes. The intention was to reclaim the position of The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival as the major literary and book focused event in the South Island, while providing interesting, challenging and entertaining sessions for a local audience. The main venue was the Geo Dome that the Christchurch City Council had erected in Hagley Park. The YMCA and The George Hotel were also used as smaller venues.
Despite the challenge of venues, the Festival was a great success and the response to the festival was very satisfying with the uncertain attendance climate in the city.
Following the festival the Trust hosted Michael Palin in a one-off event. This was held in the Christ’s College school hall, and was sold out.
42 Events, 75 Speakers, 3 Venues, 5,124 Attendances at core events, including the free events, school events, visual arts/writers exhibitions, play readings and Gap Filler projects total 9,000.
Festival Director Marianne Hargreaves. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2011
In 2010 The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival, which had been scheduled to run in September, was cancelled following the September earthquake. Following discussion with funding partners and sponsors, the Trust decided to produce a smaller festival in May 2011, to be held in the Christchurch Art Gallery. The content for the May programme was delivered to the designer on 21 February, the day before the next earthquake.
Following the devastating 22 February earthquake, the loss of office space and venues led to the festival again being cancelled. The Board subsequently decided to hold some literary events in the city on a one-off basis during the next few months to maintain a presence within the local community.
7 Events, 21 Speakers, 5 Venues, 635 Attendances.
Festival Director Marianne Hargreaves. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2010
The Christchurch Book Festival Trust’s primary aim for 2010 was to cement the position of The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival as the major literary and book focused event in the South Island, alongside the Auckland Writers’ Festival and the New Zealand Writers’ & Readers’ Week by both significantly increasing the Festival’s visibility and accessibility nationally, and the region’s awareness of the event. Festival 2010 had booked 19 international and 61 New Zealand writers.
The Festival was due to run 9 – 12 September, with the Read Aloud Schools’ Programme starting on Wednesday 8 September.
On Saturday 4 September Christchurch was struck by a major earthquake. On Tuesday 7 September the Trust Board made a decision to cancel the Festival as Civil Defence were asking people not to travel to Christchurch unless it was essential and the inner city infrastructure was still at risk. At that time there were 3,500 tickets sold.
Executive Director Jodi Wright. Festival Manager Marianne Hargreaves. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2009
A non-festival year.
2008
PROGRAMME
The Press Christchurch Writers Festival was held 4-7 September 2008.
The Christchurch Writers Festival was managed by the Christchurch Arts Festival with Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout in the role of programme coordinators. Naming rights partner The Press excelled in its coverage in the lead-up and advertising during the Festival and proved to be a highly motivated and responsive partner. The main events were held in the Christchurch Town Hall and the popular international writers were Robert Fisk, Kate Atkinson, Kate Mosse, Vanessa Collingridge, Xinran and Norman Doidge.
39 Events, 100 Speakers, 3 Venues, 13,503 Attendances including exhibitions.
Festival Management Christchurch Arts Festival. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2007
A non-festival year.
2006
The Press Christchurch Writers Festival was held 8-10 September 2006.
Festival Management Christchurch Arts Festival. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2005
A non-festival year.
2004
The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival, Books & Beyond was held August 30 – September 5 2004. The Festival became a biennial Spring celebration in 2004 after being an annual winter event.
There were 39 Events, 70 Speakers, nd 5 Venues
Festival Director Reima Goldsmith. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2003
A non-festival year.
2002
The Christchurch Book Festival, Books & Beyond was held 29 May – 3 June 2002. There were 48 events.
Festival Director Jodi Wright. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2001
The Christchurch Book Festival, Books & Beyond was held 30 May – 4 June 2001.
Festival Director Jodi Wright. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
2000
The Christchurch Book Festival, Books & Beyond was held 31 May – 5 June 2000.
Festival Director Jodi Wright. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
1999
The Christchurch Book Festival, Books & Beyond was held 4-7 June 1999.
Festival Director Jodi Wright. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
1998
The Christchurch Book Festival, Books & Beyond was held 30 May-6 June 1998.
Festival Director Fenn Gordon. Programme co-Directors Ruth Todd and Morrin Rout.
1997
The inaugural Festival was held.
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