4 March 2022

Schools Programme Hōtaka Kura announced for 23-25 August 2022

Auckland Writers Festival | Waituhi o Tāmaki is delighted to deliver the 2022 Schools Programme Hōtaka Kura 23-25 August with the generous support of the Freemasons Foundation.

“Through this programme we hope to inspire young writers and readers and celebrate the love of story. This year's featured writers include: international award-winning poet & novelist Kwame Alexander (USA) LV*; editor and junior fiction writer Sue Copsey (NZ); quantum physicist and sci-fi YA novelist Femi Fadugba (UK/Nigeria) LV*; award-winning creative non-fiction writer Maria Gill (NZ); Cairo-born poet, journalist and non-fiction writer Mohamed Hassan (Egypt/NZ); award-winning poet and academic Anna Jackson (NZ); junior storyteller and YA novelist Anne Kayes (NZ); Korean-Kiwi fantasy writer Graci Kim (NZ); playwright, poet and story-writer Renee Liang (NZ); Emmy Award winning screenwriter Shoshanna McCallum (NZ); novelist and poet Amy McDaid (NZ); Ockham Book Awards longlisted novelist Kirsten McDougall (NZ); celebrated short story writer Owen Marshall (NZ); author of children’s laughter Tom E Moffatt (NZ); inspirational author and television host Stacey Morrison (NZ); science fiction, fantasy & horror writer Lee Murray (NZ); ONZM and award winning playwright Victor Rodger (NZ); Supreme Books Award winner TK Roxborogh (NZ); spoken word champion Eric Soakai (NZ); internationally best-selling children’s author Tui T Sutherland (USA) LV*; YA author and magician Gareth Ward (NZ); novelist and broadcasting journalist Sonya Wilson (NZ).”

* LV: International writers will appear via livestream in venue.

AWF provides transport subsidies to assist with travel costs, and we have created a set of Teaching Resources in partnership with the National Library. Three new schools have been added to the Writing the Future project, enabling them to attend at no cost. In addition, students from each sponsored school will embark on a creative writing mentoring programme. For more information, go to 2022 Schools Programme.