Festival News

News
Ahi Kaa, Keeping the Home Fires Burning.
Ahi Kaa, Keeping the Home Fires Burning.

The last few months have brought significant change and exciting developments as we move into festival-mode this year. We're delighted to welcome some wonderful new faces to the rōpū. Please join us in welcoming Nadia Wesley-Smith and Aaron Hawkins to the board.

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New Zealand Young Writers Fest 2024!
New Zealand Young Writers Fest 2024!

Running from 13th to 15th September here in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, the NZYWF is back, celebrating their 10 year Birthday this year, with an amazing line up!

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Come and Work With Us!
Come and Work With Us!

The Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival is currently looking to fill two positions. A Bookkeeper & Board Administrator, as well as a vacancy on the Board of Trustees. If you want to find out more about either of these, you can download the info pack here!

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2025 Dates Announced!
2025 Dates Announced!

Book lovers and literary fans, mark your calendars - the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival will be back for 2025, running over the weekend of the 17th - 19th October!

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Dunedin Writers & Readers

The Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival is a celebration of writers, readers, ideas and all things literature. You’ll love this festival if you enjoy library shelves stacked with treasure, discussing books with avid readers, being part of big conversations and expanding your horizons. Join with like-minded book lovers as we gather around the ancient fire of story.

Our city is a stronghold of indigenous story in Te Waipounamu, mai rā anō (since long ago). It is a UNESCO City of Literature, the home of Aotearoa’s first university, built on a bedrock of letters, poetry and prose crafted for us by generations of storytellers. A literary festival has been part of that heritage for more than 30 years.

Behind the scenes

The Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival (DWRF) operates under a Board of Trustees governance structure, with a team of kaimahi running the operational side.

How to support us

The are many ways of supporting a mighty non-profit organisation like the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival.

Dunedin Writers Festival

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Mark your calendars, The Regent Theatre 24HR Book Sale will be back in February next year 🥳 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Calling all bookworms! 🐛 The Regent 24 Hour Book Sale is back, and we’re gearing up for the ultimate literary
If you're in Pōneke this weekend, go hang out with our festival whānau @verb_wellington! What an amazing line up they have for you, starting tomorrow ⚡ Full to the brim with writers, readers, poets and creatives, check out the full programme here:
Don't miss your chance to see the award-winning Prima Facie by Suzie Miller! An Ōtepoti Exclusive, produced and directed by Lara Macgregor and starring Serena Cotton, this electrifying Tony award-winning play is an unforgettable one-woman tour de for
It was Hone Tuwhare's birthday this week 🥳 Why not celebrate and take an imaginative visit to Hone's crib at Kākā Point, conjured by the reflections and responses of poets, artists and the Tuwhare Creative Residency. With your guides Jeanette Wika
📣 On this weekend! The Hocken Collections is hosting a slide talk by Wellington-based writer and editor Helen Beaglehole about her latest book 'Light and Reflections: The house and the art in our lives', with photography by Matthew O'Reilly. Helen
This Saturday, as part of the Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival, you can snoop around the basement of the Athenaeum Library @dunedinathenaeumlibrary (book your tickets at the link below), then head out to a dramatic reading of The Hunting of the Snar
Applications are now open for the @universitybookshopotago Summer Writer in Residence in Association with Robert Lord Writers' Cottage Trust Award. Applications close on the 6th October for a residency in January and February 2025, in line with the
Mānawatia te reo! Maimoatia te reo! Tairangatia te reo! Kia kaha te reo Māori 😍 Sign up and show your support for Māori Language Week Te Wiki o te Reo Māori! For more ideas on how to celebrate Ake Ake Ake, a Forever Language, head on over to www.re

A big thanks to our supporters, who make this festival possible!