WORD Christchurch boldly delivers high-quality festivals and events, bringing communities together through a love of words whether they read, listen or experience them on screen or stage. We bring the thrill of the live shared experience to over 10,000 people each spring during our festival. We are bold in our actions, and make the city buzz.
We give Christchurch audiences direct access to the best in New Zealand and the world, ground-breaking ideas, Ngāi Tahu stories, and opportunities for local writers & artists to create new work.
As we emerge from a decade of rebuilding, and look towards urban revitalisation and recovery from COVID-19, we’re in amongst it and playing an important role in the return of life to the city’s heart.
We know that words are powerful, emotive and sometimes a little bit dangerous right now so WORD is more relevant than ever.
WORD Christchurch is accessible no matter how much is in your wallet. In the 2023 festival over 20% of our events are free.
We love young readers and we help them flourish. Our free and low cost schools events expose students to writers that entertain and increase literacy levels while reducing barriers to participation.
