22 Aug 2016

Share this story

Get into the Word Christchurch Writers and Readers Festival with events and talks celebrating storytelling, poetry and the power of words to inform and entertain.

The festival is from August 24 to August 28. There are several events with a distinctively Christchurch flavour and many of them are free.

* The Haiku Hike is a family event on Saturday at 1.30pm at the Margaret Mahy Playground. International award-winning haiku poet Doc Drumheller leads a walk through the Margaret Mahy Family Playground demonstrating how to carefully observe your surroundings, open your imagination and discover the magic of words. It is suitable for ages eight to 12 and costs $10. Caregivers are free. 

* A free exhibition at Art Box, Ara Institute of Canterbury’s City Campus at 130 Madras Street,  shows books from Ara’s library that have been altered by several artists to create objects that reference the literary content of the books while becoming works of art themselves. Carpe Librum: Seize the Book was curated by Julie Humby and is open from August 15 until September 2. Alongside the altered books exhibition will be a selection of second-year design students' work from the Book Art and Printmaking programme. 

* Let’s Take a Walk is a book exploring the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes through interactive pop-up illustrations of some of the city’s iconic buildings by local artist Hannah Beehre. Written by Nicole Philipson and designed by Alec Bathgate, it has been published by C1 Café owners Sam and Fleur Crofskey who are hosting the free launch at C1 on Wednesday August 24 from 6pm. 

* Creativity can come out of disaster. Hear editors James Norcliffe and Joanna Preston talk about a new book of poetry inspired by the Canterbury earthquakes, Leaving the Red Zone. This free event is at The Box, The Piano, Friday August 26, 3.30pm until 4.30pm. 

* You might not know it, but between 1933 and 1953 Christchurch was a hotbed of art and creativity. Many of the country’s most significant artists, writers, and composers of the time worked and socialised closely together, including Colin McCahon, Denis Glover, James K Baxter, Ngaio Marsh and Douglas Lilburn. A free exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery brings together a selection of books, sheet music and art to marking the publication of Bloomsbury South: The Arts in Christchurch 1933-1953, Peter Simpson’s tribute to this amazing time in the city’s history. From August 22 until September 5. 

* Christchurch/Otautahi has sister cities around the world and for Sister Cities/First Nations, Word Christchurch has invited writers from two of them - Adelaide and Seattle - to talk with Ngai Tahu writer Nic Low about their work and the challenges indigenous writers face. Supported by Christchurch City Council's Sister City Programme, this free event is at Christchurch Art Gallery on August 28 from 12.30pm until 1.30pm.