Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day celebrates 20th anniversary with more than 100 events nationwide

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day offers its most ambitious and wide-ranging programme of events yet. On Friday August 25, the power of poetry will be unleashed and celebrated in communities all over New Zealand.

Announced today, this year’s packed programme features more than 100 dynamic and accessible events, workshops and competitions, featuring acclaimed poets, new voices, young writers, and poetry enthusiasts. From Slam Poetry to sonnets, from stages to pavements, poetry will be created and enjoyed in a myriad of venues around the country: cafes, bars, schools, university campuses, community centres, retirement villages, marae, libraries and theatres – as well as on buses, trains and ferries. 

In tandem with the many events taking place around New Zealand on August 25, is the publication of inaugural online poetry collection 20/20 – 40 poems by Kiwi poets. Featuring many of the nation’s most read and loved poets, including C. K. Stead and Tusiata Avia, 20/20 also showcases new voices that demand to be heard. Wanting to make poetry accessible to all New Zealanders, 20/20 will be free to download at website: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/national-poetry-day/20-20-collection/.

Among the many events taking place from Northland to Dunedin, are: Whangarei’s youth Wall of Words; Auckland’s The Divine Muses Poetry Reading, in the edifying company of 20/20 poets C. K. Stead, Simone Kaho and Paula Green, and Michael Giacon, Vana Manasiadis and Siobhan Harvey; live entertainment with comedy poetry troupe Theoradical Hobohemians, who perform at Shanghai Lil's on K Road; and Down South: Spoken Word and Rap Open Mic at MIT in Otara; Wellington’s ‘dropping words in to the sea’ at the National Library with Sea of Words – Your Words; Our Poets event; decorating a Poetry Fridge Door in Nelson; helping to build a Great Wall of Poetry in Christchurch; enjoying performance poetry with the multi-talented Ian Loughran in Wanaka; experiencing poetry live with illustrious Otago poets, including celebrated 20/20 poets Brian Turner and Jillian Sullivan at The Perfect 10: Poetry of the South in Dunedin. There will even be an international poetry event held at the Berlin Polish Club!

Can’t get to an event, but don’t want to miss out? Simply call or text The Poetry Phone hotline on 021.474.555 or 022.300.8164 (standard calling/txting rates apply) to have poems sent to you or a friend. Find out more here: https://ofa.carbonmade.com/projects/2346591.

For full information about all Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day events, including places, venues, times, tickets and more, go to: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/national-poetry-day/calendar-of-events/.

Established in 1997, National Poetry Day is about discovery, diversity, community and pushing boundaries. It is a one-day national poetry-event extravaganza held on the last Friday of August each year. This is the second year of National Poetry Day operating under the sponsorship of Phantom Billstickers.

Phantom Billstickers is a street poster company which has consistently helped New Zealanders express themselves since 1982. Phantom actively promotes New Zealand music, art, poetry and culture around the country and across the world. National Poetry Day is proudly administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust.