Word Christchurch

Word Christchurch is back for 2023! This year’s festival promises an enthralling programme featuring the return of international talent to our shores, with writers and thinkers such as Gabriel Krauze, Meg Mason, Kevin Jared Hosein, Polly Barton, and David Keenan. Alongside these luminaries, the festival proudly showcases the brilliance of Aotearoa New Zealand’s own talent through a rich programme filled with panels, conversations, presentations, concerts, and tours.

RISK! THE WORD GALA

Risk! The Word Gala is inspired by Katherine Mansfield’s words: “Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.” Gabriel Krauze (UK), Kevin Jared Hosein (Trinidad and Tobago), David Keenan (Scotland), Meg Mason (Australia/ New Zealand), and Tusiata Avia (New Zealand/ Samoa), will share their personal stories of taking risks and triumphing over challenges.

24 August, The Piano

KEENAN AND RUSSELL

Immerse yourself in a captivating evening of live music. Cult Scottish author David Keenan, known for his modernist masterpiece Monument Maker, will join forces with renowned New Zealand musician Bruce Russell for a mesmerising performance of free improvised music and readings. A unique aural experience not to be missed

25 August, Space Academy

FUNGI: A CURIOUS HIKOI

Embark on a fascinating walking tour with Liv Sisson, the author of Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s Field Guide. Starting at The Piano, walkers will venture along the banks of the Avon River/Ōtākaro. Discover the hidden delights of our urban garden, learn to identify edible fungi and other intriguing treasures, and listen to magical tales about the role of fungi in our world. Suitable for both novice foragers and budding experts.

26 and 27 August, meet at The Piano

50 YEARS OF WITI IHIMAERA

This special in-conversation event celebrates the 50th anniversary of Witi Ihimaera’s ground-breaking debut novel, Tangi. Witi Ihimaera, an unstoppable literary force and a prominent Māori author, will engage in a kōrero (conversation) with Victor Rodger, exploring the significance of his work in shaping the stories of Aotearoa.

27 August, The Piano good. kiwi. craftsmanship. felt.nz

To explore the complete festival programme and for tickets, visit wordchristchurch.co.nz.

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Welcome to the City

Artist Dcypher and Nicholas Keyse

Date June 2023

Location Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre

Welcome to the City is part of the Spotlight Project, a collaboration between Watch This Space, ChristchurchNZ, and a collection of local urban artists and digital creatives. Spotlight celebrates our city’s talented creatives and activates the town after dark, projecting animated works onto one of Ōtautahi’s most recognisable new buildings.

Dcypher’s illustration of a maze-like urban environment is a celebration of the artist’s formative experiences as a skateboarder and graffiti artist, cultures through which he came to view the city as a site of exploration, subversion, and expression: “I’ve always loved the raw underbelly of urban architecture, the flip side of the facade, the back alleys, the fire escapes... These spots are constantly in flux as urban subcultures expand in their complexity and reach.” watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/1072

This sense of adventure is heightened by the animation of the static image by local designer Nicholas Keyse, who explores the scene’s depth by zooming in and scanning across the composition, guiding the viewer through the shifting terrain. The roaming view imbues the work with a cinematic echo, a mysterious story playing out silently on the grey concrete wall for the unsuspecting passing audience.

Explore more of Ōtautahi’s urban art on a Watch This Space guided street art tour! Email tours@watchthisspace.org.nz for booking information.