WORD Christchurch Readers and Writers Festival

WORD Christchurch Readers and Writers Festival

Event

Past event

Philip Carter Family Auditorium

The 2016 WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival embraces the theme of ‘Planet and People’ with over 100 New Zealand and international speakers here to inspire, inform and entertain you. We're please that this year the Galley will be home to many of the 80 events. 

Make sure to check out the WORD Festival programme here for the full line-up of events at the Gallery and throughout the Central City.

Featuring fiction, poetry, storytelling, free children’s events, comedy, live music, debates, discussions, performances and a few surprises, WORD Christchurch embraces the theme of ‘the planet and its people’ with world-renowned environmentalist Tim Flannery; popular American young adult writer David Levithan; LA-based mortician, author and YouTube star Caitlin Doughty; New Zealand’s Poet Laureate C.K. Stead; ITV science correspondent Alok Jha; Inuit writer and activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier; Kiwi literary treasure Fiona Kidman; Afghan-American physician and novelist Nadia Hashimi; winner of the inaugural Acorn Literary Prize at the 2016 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, Stephen Daisley; television comedy writerSteve Hely (30 Rock, The Office); New Zealand young adult novelist Anna Mackenzie; poet Tusiata Avia, returning to her hometown; Canadian author and human rights advocate Tara Moss; an evening of celebration for Flying Nun records; the presentation of the 2016 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel and much more.