3 July 2024
July 8 – September 30
A compelling line-up of established writers and fresh literary talent will be showcased in Wellington this winter as Writers on Mondays returns. This free lunchtime series highlighting new books and writers is run by the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML), the creative writing powerhouse of Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, in conjunction with Te Papa Tongarewa and Circa Theatre.
This year’s series is bigger than ever. Seventy-six poets, novelists, playwrights, and nonfiction writers will take part in 14 events across four venues between 8 July and 30 September.
“We’re blown away by the depth and breadth of New Zealand writing in this programme,” says IIML Senior Lecturer Chris Price. “In challenging times, these writers are giving us some of their best work.”
The 2024 series includes literary couple Anna Smaill (Bird Life) and Carl Shuker (The Royal Free) in conversation with Emily Perkins about their new novels, Christine Jeffs’ film of Shuker’s A Mistake, and their writing lives. Hinemoana Baker returns from Germany to join award-winning poets James Brown and Tracey Slaughter in sharing their latest work and pondering how poetry talks back to its time. Tina Makereti talks about her new novel The Mires, described by Shankari Chandran as a book about “the monsters we’ve created and the power we have to stop them”.
The rising popularity of creative nonfiction is under the spotlight. Acorn Prize winner Airini Beautrais (The Beautiful Afternoon) and Flora Feltham (Bad Archive) will appear in conversation about their new essay collections, and Emeritus Professor Harry Ricketts (First Things) and Talia Marshall (Whaea Blue) discuss their keenly anticipated memoirs. Other highlights include Te Herenga Waka/Creative New Zealand Writer in Residence Ingrid Horrocks on her shift from nonfiction to fiction, and poets selected and introduced by Poet Laureate Chris Tse from his edition of Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems.
Te Papa will be home to most of the series, with events in both Rongomaraeroa and Te Huinga Conference Centre. In a glimpse of future work emerging from the IIML’s MA workshops, scriptwriting students will have their work brought to life in lunchtime performances at Circa Theatre, while the next wave of novelists, poets, and creative nonfiction writers will read their work in special evening events at Meow. The series is supported by the Letteri family.
Writers on Mondays will run from 12.15—1.15 pm each Monday from 8 July to 30 September 2024 at Te Papa Tongarewa and Circa Theatre, with two special evening sessions at Meow. Admission is free and all are welcome. The full programme can be viewed here.
