New Chapter For Dunedin Writers And Readers Festival

The Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival (DWRF) is starting a new chapter with the recruitment of Kitty Brown (Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) as Event Manager, four new Trustees and a fundraising manager.

Chair of the Festival Board, Nicola McConnell says, “We’re delighted to welcome Kitty, to the team. As an author she knows the literary world well and the perspective she brings as mana whenua will strengthen and enrich this Festival, which is a treasured part of the Ōtepoti events calendar.”

“I am thrilled to be part of the festival whānau, I feel like I have just joined the biggest book club of my life!” says Ms Brown.

Philippa Murrell has been appointed Festival Grants Manager for the 2023 Festival and joins Linda Geddes who works part time to support the Board. These roles and the appointment of four new trustees enable planning for the 2023 Festival to ramp up.

Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi), Amanda Burke, Meg Hamilton and Anna Hoek-Sims have joined Nicola McConnell, Nicola Cummins and Mary McLaughlin on the board.

“We farewelled some outstanding contributors to the Festival Board over the last year or so. Annie Villiers, Alexandra Bligh, Bridget Schaumann and Charlotte Steel contributed many years to the Festival between them. We hope to build on their legacy of hard work, drive and vision to make DWRF the warmest little book festival in the world,” says Ms McConnell.

The biennial festival will run from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 October 2023, shifting from its traditional May date. The team is pulling together an inclusive, engaging programme that celebrates diverse writers, genres and ideas.

“Ōtepoti is a City of Literature – we have a rich literary culture crafted for us by generations of storytellers. Our aim for 2023 is to curate a festival with a strong sense of place and people, where we can build connections and share big conversations. We invite our audiences to expand their horizons, feel at home and connect with others,” says Ms McConnell.

Creative and diverse programming will be a feature of the 2023 Festival, and the team is exploring a guest curator model. “We’re looking forward to trying out some new things this year while keeping the warmth and interest Festival audiences have come to know and love,” says new trustee Jeanette Wikaira.

The 2023 programme will be released in early September, with tickets going on sale shortly after.

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