OUR 2020 FEATURED WRITERS INCLUDE:
Author, poet, and educator Kwame Alexander (USA), Fantasy writer Leigh Bardugo (USA), Author and conservationist Gillian Candler (NZ), Writer Weng Wai Chan (Singapore / NZ), Author, poet, and anthologist Paula Green (NZ), Novelist, playwright, and poet Dominic Hoey (NZ), Writer, director, actor, and producer Ahi Karunaharan (Sri Lanka / NZ), Essayist and software developer Rose Lu (China / NZ), Poet and teacher Selina Tusitala Marsh (NZ), Fiction writer, poet, and playwright Courtney Sina Meredith (NZ), Poet, writer, and academic Karlo Mila (NZ), Illustrator and author Toby Morris (NZ), Writer and illustrator Alice Oseman (UK), Novelist, poet, and teacher Ruby Porter (NZ), Singer-songwriter and storyteller Randy Preston (USA), Writer and illustrator Matt Stanton (Aus), Singer-songwriter Anthonie Tonnon (NZ), Author, storyteller, and bookseller Gareth Ward (UK / NZ), Writer and teacher Damien Wilkins (NZ).
The Festival continues our investment in youth education and literacy programmes with the inclusion of three new schools in our Writing the Future Project, taking the total to 15 schools engaged since 2016. Supported by Josephine and Ross Green as well as additional school attendance sponsorship supported by Adrian Burr.