SPEAKEASY Writers Fest

KIA ORA It is a pleasure to introduce audiences to our first standalone literacy festival, SPEAKEASY Writers Fest.

The SPEAKEASY writers programme was scheduled to run alongside Winter Fest. It felt too soon to take on an extensive ten-day festival programme, with 2022 still presenting disruption and uncertainty.

Arts and connections matter now more than ever, and in true TAFT fashion, we have adapted to ensure that arts can still thrive safely and at any alert level!

SPEAKEASY Writers Fest features some of the most captivating authors in Aotearoa today, both fiction and non-fiction. Over two days, we’re inviting you to push your mind to be observant, to let curiosity take over, and challenge your perceptions with modern literature.

We know that our festival audiences need a doorway that keeps you connected with the world around you, a space to observe hardships enjoy laughter and love, fear, and happiness.

Books allow us to discover and explore these elements of everyday life.

They let us into the lives of others and connect us to the characters as they overcome difficulties and challenges. Their stories give us the courage and confidence to deal with problems we may face during our lifetime.

Our featured authors will take you on a journey with their words as you travel with them across the pages of their books.

We look forward to welcoming you to be part of SPEAKEASY. Inspired by the power of reading, we hope to bring more positivity back to audiences here in New Plymouth.

With that, we leave you with an excerpt from Julie Zarifeh, author of ‘Grief on the Run’ part of the SPEAKEASY programme.

“When we think positively, we tend to behave in more positive ways. We also tend to feel good- or, at the very least, feel better. And that’s how we find our way back, how we dig deep.”

Megan Brown Artistic Director, Taranaki Arts Festival