Free event – Thursday 27 November, 6pm to 8pm. Refreshments will be served from 5:30pm

Te Ahumairangi Ground Floor, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington 

https://natlib.govt.nz/events/laureates-line-up-a-poetry-reading-november-27-2025

We are excited to invite you to a really special event. Laureates Line Up is a poetry reading event featuring nearly all of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Poets Laureate.

It has been almost 30 years since John Buck created the Te Mata Estate Winery Laureate Award and Bill Manhire became our first Laureate. Both will be there to support an outstanding line-up of poets: Elizabeth Smither, Jenny Bornholdt, Michele Leggott, Cilla McQueen, Ian Wedde, Karl Stead, Selina Tusitala Marsh, David Eggleton, Chris Tse, and Robert Sullivan. Fergus Barrowman, publisher at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University Press, will MC the event. There will also be special readings to honour the late Vincent O’Sullivan and Brian Turner, shared by Vincent’s son Dominic and Brian’s partner, writer Jillian Sullivan.

This free event promises to be a highlight of Wellington’s poetry scene in 2025, and refreshments will be provided.