WORD Christchurch Festival 2024
WORD Christchurch was on from Tuesday 27 August to Sunday 1 September 2024.
Find out about WORD Christchurch, and the writers and books featured in the festival, and explore our coverage of WORD events and sessions. The WORD Christchurch 2024 programme launch took place on Wednesday 3 July.
WORD event reviews
WORD Event reports
Dawn Raids Reading: Pacific Underground at 30 - WORD 2024
Maatakiwi reports back on Dawn Raids reading and the following panel of the Pacific Underground production team & Oscar Kightley.
Rugby League in Aotearoa NZ: WORD Christchurch 2024
Maatakiwi reports back on a session for League-ys - Ryan Bodman on his book Rugby League in New Zealand: A People's History.
Listening across the Moana: Confluence 2024:
Arwen reports back on the creativity and brilliance of Confluence,
Te Kākahu Huruhuru o te Tiriti: WORD Christchurch 2024
Maatakiwi reports back on a presentation from Helen Brown, Senior Researcher, Ngāi Tahu Archives & Katherine Peet, Network Waitangi Ōtautahi
Māori in the City: WORD Christchurch 2024
Jemimah reports back from a panel discussing the urban Māori experience with respect to writing, reading, community, and identity.
Short story kōrero: WORD Christchurch 2024
Moata reports back from a good kōrero about short fiction with Airana Ngarewa, Emma Hislop, Tīhema Baker and Jordan Tricklebank.
Foraging in the inner city with Peter Langlands
Ky takes a WORD Christchurch foraging tour around the central city with Peter Langlands and finds edible treasure in unexpected places.
The power of community: WORD Christchurch 2024
Jemimah reports on a panel discussion 'The Power of Community' that sparked a profound conversation about the unifying force of community.
Not plastic: Isaac Martyn's one-man show
Moata reports back from Isaac Martyn's show, He Māori? at WORD Christchurch 2024 and finds jokes, songs, bad language and good stuff.
Sight Lines: Women and art in Aotearoa: WORD Chch 2024
A panel discussion on the book Sight Lines, chaired by Dr Barb Garrie, with Hanahiva Rose, Chloe Cull, and Kirsty Baker.
NZ at risk of economic turbulence if banks 'turn on us'
Paul reports back from a WORD Christchurch 2024 session with Liam Dann, author of BBQ Economics and NZ Herald Business Editor at large.
Local history gems come to life: WORD Christchurch 2024
Troy reports back from a fascinating event at Tūranga during which letters, diaries, and other records brought local history to life.
Creative friendship: Saraid de Silva and romesh dissanayake
There is something beautiful & important about creative friendships. Simone reflects on a session with Saraid de Silva & romesh dissanayake.
Galactic brains: Airini Beautrais and David Coventry
Fee reports back from a WORD Christchurch session full of intellectual conversation, insights on writing, and their reality TV faves.
Ending your forgetting: Richard Shaw & unsettling histories
Moata reports back from WORD Christchurch 2024 session with Richard Shaw, peeling back colonial histories, and remembering the forgotten.
Otherhood : WORD Christchurch 2024
A WORD session about the Otherhood anthology which contains diverse, insightful, and moving essays by writers about not having children.
Staff Festival picks
Staff picks of the festival
When it comes to brain power, the eyes just might have it!
Paul reports back on a WORD session with science communicator Dr Jen Martin, who wants science to be a big part of all our everyday lives.
My WORD 2024 - Clare's festival picks
Clare is full of the joys of spring and the anticipation of arty, mermaidy goodness at WORD Christchurch 2024.
Airini Beautrais and David Coventry, narrative threads
Fee looks forward to hearing about the narrative threads running through the work of Airini Beautrais and David Coventry.
WORD Christchurch 2024: Jemimah's picks
Jemimah looks forward to clutch of WORD Christchurch sessions representing voices as diverse as modern New Zealand.
WORD Christchurch information
- Visit the WORD Christchurch website
- Follow @WORDChCh on X
- Follow WORDchch on Instagram
- Like WORD Christchurch on Facebook
- Listen to WORD Christchurch podcasts
WORD Christchurch coverage
Listen to Bookenz on Plains FM for interviews with WORD authors.
Previous WORD Coverage
Visit our WORD Christchurch page for coverage of previous festivals and events.
Blog post about attending WORD Christchurch
How to WORD: A veteran festival goer dispenses wisdom
As the 2024 festival hoves into view Moata shares her tips on how to get the most of your WORD Christchurch experience.
What's on at Tūranga
What's on for WORD at Tūranga
Library staff are running a clutch of interesting and inspiring events as part of WORD Christchurch 2024.
Competition
For the duration of WORD, we will be running a competition at Tūranga. Throughout the building there will be entry forms and entry boxes at self check kiosks and other prominent places.
- Any patron who borrows a book and puts their library card number and name on a form goes in a draw.
- Customers can enter multiple times by borrowing multiple books and placing a completed form in a box.
- Winners will be drawn at random after WORD Christchurhc Festival 2024 ends.
- Prizes include one $50 UBS book voucher and five $10 Riverside Market vouchers.
- This competition is exclusive to Tūranga and runs Tuesday 27th August to Sunday 1st September.
WORD Christchurch Festival 2024 photos
Find works by WORD writers in our collection
WORD writers and entertainers in the catalogue
Pip Adam
Tusiata Avia
Dr. Kirsty Baker
Tihema Baker
Airini Beautrais
Ryan Bodman
Steve Braunias
Tokerau Brown
Dr. Jo Burzynska
Alex Casey
Benedict Collins
David Coventry
Dame Anna Crighton
Jeni Curtis
Liam Dann
Jared Davidson
Saraid De Silva
Romesh Dissanayake
Melanie Dixon
Tina Duncan
Megan Dunn
Lily Duval
