Poetry Evening Highlights Literary Stars

On Friday 22 July, National Poetry Day 2011 comes once more to New Zealand, and the much loved Poetry Evening at the Dunedin City Library will ensure that Dunedin celebrates in style.

Passionate poetry lovers, along with the mildly curious, will have a chance to enjoy a glass of wine or juice, and nibbles before settling down to an evening that puts some of our best local poets in the spotlight.

This year the evening will include Rhian Gallagher, recipient of the 2008 Janet Frame Literary Trust Award; Michael Steven, author of collections Bartering Lines and Daybook Fragments; Joanna Preston, winner of both the inaugural Kathleen Grattan Award for poetry and the 2010 Mary Gilmore Poetry Prize; Richard Reeve, founding editor of Glottis: New Writing and past editor of Landfall; and Fiona Farrell, the 2011 Burns Fellow.

David Howard will act as Master of Ceremonies.

The Poetry Evening has been nurtured for many years by a successful partnership between the New Zealand Society of Authors and the Dunedin Public Libraries; and with the help of sponsorship from New Zealand Post and Dunedin City Council, the whole evening is completely free of charge.

People are being encouraged to book their tickets to avoid disappointment.

To secure a place contact Dunedin Public Libraries on: 03 474 3690 or library@dcc.govt.nz. Tickets can be collected from your local library.