Skip to main content
News

NATIONAL POETRY 2019 REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

By September 3, 2019No Comments

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day went next level in 2019, with a very impressive total of around160 events nationwide. Spanning the days leading up to, following, and of course all day Friday 23 August itself, quality events were hosted from one end of the country to the other.

Dannevirke Library – Cut Up Poetry

Poetry was found in art galleries, schools, libraries, bars and book shops and on beaches, buses and radio in over 55 cities, towns and online locations, both nationally and internationally. With something for everyone, the 2019 calendar offered an abundance of activities and opportunities from the numerous community events to the more ambitious performances. The takeaway message from this year’s campaign is that Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day is growing, and people are loving it!

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day also made a big splash in the media. The Weekend Herald made poetry their Canvas cover story in the lead-up – rising stars Tayi Tibble and Sugar Magnolia Wilson were interviewed and splashed across the cover. Other highlights included Courtney Sina Meredith’s powerful and compelling interview with John Campbell on TV ONE Breakfast; Sugar Magnolia Wilson’s interview with Jeremy Corbett for TV THREE The Project; and Radio NZ Afternoons hugely popular flash poetry competition, judged by 2019 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards finalist Erik Kennedy. And #NZPoetryDay was trending across social media channels before midday.

All four of the 2019 Ockhams finalists for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for poetry were also front and centre in Phantom Billstickers eye-catching, nationwide street poster campaign.

Wild Honey event at Unity Books, Wellington