2009 Festival

This is the archived site for the 2009 Wanganui Literary Festival. Click this link to find the full programme for the 2011 festival.

Through the aegis of a committee member Chris Finlayson, the Minister of Arts and Culture, opened the 2009 Literary Festival and we were pleased to have been able to include students from primary to tertiary in the festival.

The festival catered to a broad cross-section of the community with such lifestyle activities as sport, cooking/eating, wine, environmental issues. We also catered for those interested in graphic novels, poetry, historical writing, children’s writing, popular fiction, memoir writing and satire. Whilst some patrons came to only one or two events that particularly interested them, others came to absolutely everything. The fringe activities were outstandingly successful.

The Wanganui Literary Festival is more a ‘boutique’ event than larger festivals in the main centres. This enabled patrons to interact more closely with the writers, rather than standing in a long line for a quick scribbled signature in the book just bought. One event sponsored by Paiges Book Gallery was ‘Dinner With the Stars’, which allowed patrons to dine with the visiting authors.

The authors have all stated just how much they enjoyed their participation at the festival both with patrons and other writers.

Local writers benefited from the presence of out-of-town authors but also held their own in the public arena offered by the festival. Most of the visiting authors attended other sessions and were impressed by the wealth and breadth of literary talent in Wanganui.

There was also the indefinable well-being factor which the festival created. As noted in the Wanganui Chronicle editorial on the following Tuesday (22/9/09) ‘…events like this bring a real buzz to the city which reminds us why we love living here, and gives visitors a great reason to return.’

If only we could bottle the ‘Buzz’ factor! One patron who said he had been severely depressed prior to the festival stated that he’d had a most enlivening weekend – the best in many months. Such results are unquantifiable but are an integral part of the reasons why such literary festivals should regularly take place.

There will also be literary events in the weekend prior to the main festival, as part of the festival fringe on Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th. These include a seminar on reviewing and one on self-publishing, which not only looks at printing your book, but also publishing it into the marketplace. And on Sunday there will be a Baxter Day which will feature activities around James K Baxter and his work. Check out programme details on the fringe festival page.

Go to the Events page to read the profiles of featured authors at this year's festival.

Go to the News page to read about the Poetry Luncheon with Glenn Colquhoun and Kevin Ireland being hosted by Poppies Bookshop.

Already readers are anticipating Fiona Kidman’s visit to talk at the Wanganui Literary Festival 18-20 September. Her books are widely read, and warmly acclaimed. She has written many novels and short stories, as well as non-fiction works. Last year the first part of her memoir, At the End of Darwin Road, was published by Random House. Part Two, Beside the Dark Pool, will be published this year and patrons of the festival will hear her talk about what it has been like to examine and record her life.

On Friday the 18th of September the Wanganui Literary Festival is running a programme of writers in the schools with Kate De Goldi visiting primary schools and Dylan Horrocks visiting secondary schools. Contact us if your school is not booked and you would like to take part in the Writers in Schools programme.

Kate De Goldi’s latest book is The 10PM Question which has been shortlisted for this year’s New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards. She will be coming to the Wanganui Literary Festival to talk to primary school children about her work and life as a writer. She is an engaging speaker who is guaranteed to delight the young people of Wanganui. If there is room interested adults will also be able to attend!

Dylan Horrocks' work has appeared in exhibitions in New Zealand, Europe and Canada and he has taught classes on graphic novels, comics, writing and art at the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Unitec and Massey University. His later works include two new graphic novels as well as a number of shorter comics that explore the politics of superhero comics and the meaning of America since 9/11. During the festival he will talk to groups of students from secondary schools and the Graphic Arts department at UCOL, as well as the general public.

The Literary Festival is being run in conjunction with the Wanganui Festival of Glass. Check out their great programme on http://www.wanganuiglass.co.nz/

The Wanganui Literary Festival costs about $23,000 to run. We have been fortune to receive funding and sponsorship from a number of sources. Creative New Zealand is our major sponsor.

Whanganui Community Foundation, Powerco Wanganui Trust, William McAlpine Duncan Trust, Albert Sword,

Hanton & Anderson, Artmedia, UCOL, Community Education Service and the Wanganui Chronicle

Thanks to this generosity we have been able to keep our costs to a minimum. A season ticket costs only $50. See the Brochure front and back for other costs. Book early!

This page was last updated 11/04/2011