2026 Writers Festival

The Auckland Writers Festival | Waituhi o Tāmaki has sparked a hiss and a roar following today’s full programme launch. There’s a real buzz in the air as locals look forward to a massive week of kōrero and stories across the Aotea Centre and venues around the city. If you’re keen to get amongst it, earlybird tickets go on sale this Friday, 13 March, so it’s worth moving fast to snag a deal before the May madness begins on 12 May 2026.

Our local talent is well and truly in the spotlight this year, with many Ockham-recognised authors featured right across the programme. The Book of Guilt is a major talking point, with Catherine Chidgey in contention for a third Ockham fiction win. It’s up against some stiff competition on the shortlist, with Ingrid Horrocks’ All Her Lives, Laura Vincent’s Hoods Landing, and Sam Mahon’s How to Paint a Nude all in the running. Even longlisted books like 1985 by Dominic Hoey are getting plenty of love, showing the incredible depth in Kiwi storytelling right now.

For the younger readers and families, the Pukapuka Adventures and schools programmes look brilliant. We’ve got the likes of Matariki Bennett, Kenneth Chapman, and Li Chen heading along to share their craft. It’s a great chance for the kids to see behind the scenes of their favourite books, including the Dragonfall series by Sarina Clark and works by Dr. Hinemoa Elder. These sessions are always high-energy and a top way to get the next generation hooked on a good book.

The non-fiction side of things is looking just as sharp, with the Ockham-shortlisted memoir A Different Kind of Power by Dame Jacinda Ardern being a major drawcard. You’ll also find some pretty gripping reads in the mix like Northbound by Naomi Arnold, The Hollow Boys by Peta Carey, and Tina Makereti’s This Compulsion in Us. These books really dig into what makes us tick as a country, covering everything from our history and leadership to personal stories of grit and resilience.

On the international front, we’ve got a global spread of authors bringing fresh perspectives to the stage. Names like Nikita Gill, Josh Silver, and the award-winning David A. Robertson are set to be highlights. Later in the month, cultural icon Fran Lebowitz will also appear in Auckland for a separate event at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on 28 May. Whether you're into gritty thrillers or moving poetry, there's a bit of something for everyone in the 2026 season.