Upcoming events

darkroom Halloween Special

Join us at the 6th annual Darkroom Halloween Special for a jam-packed night of live music featuring The Wendys, Goodbye Starlet, Horse Hands, and more! We’re gonna bust out our best Halloween decor around the venue, and we’ll even provide free snacks for you to enjoy to keep up your energy for dancing the monster mash! Dress ups are encouraged, with bar tabs to be won for best dressed!

TICKETS

Nov 1

Late Night Poetry Hour

Join us for our coveted monthly poetry open mic and performances from two feature poets! To find this month’s feature poets, see Claudia Jardine’s social media accounts or the Facebook event for the show. Click the button below to see the guidelines for the open mic and book tickets.

Tickets

Nov 1

RAWA: Patter Into Poetry workshop

Step 1: Eavesdrop on at least two conversations and take notes (or be a goody two-shoes and transcribe two interviews). Step 2: Come along and join Claudia for a series of guided exercises to turn your eavesdroppings into triolets and pantoums. This workshop is part of the Readers and Writers Akaroa programme.

BOOK TICKETS TO RAWA

Nov 3

RAWA: The Best Thing An Artist Can Have...

Poetry has a strong and vibrant presence in Aotearoa and is experiencing a renaissance in many parts of the world. What is it about poetry that captures the human heart and mind? First wahine Māori published in The New Yorker Tayi Tibble and Ockham NZ Book Awards 2024 longlisted author Claudia Jardine share their excitement about poetry, its transformations, its diversities and the importance of perspective. This panel is chaired by Morrin Rout and part of the Readers and Writers Akaroa programme.

BOOK TICKETS TO RAWA

Nov 3

Eyegum Wednesdays: Cruelly, Goodbye Starlet and Volumn

Lovingly sponsored by San Fran, Abandoned Brewery and Wellington City Council, Eyegum Music Collective is so excited to be bringing you this HOT line-up! Incredible poster by Izy Butler. Free!

Facebook Event

Nov 6

LitCrawl: Duly Noted

This one’s not for the timid. Be prepared to bare all and reveal the secrets of a most hectic and vulnerable place—your notes app. Maybe it’s a shopping list, a half-formed novel idea or your friend group’s agreed-upon rules for King’s Cup. Hand over just a scrap from your app to poets Nick Ascroft and Claudia Jardine and they will attempt to craft poems in real time. No promises that they’ll become The Spinoff’s Friday Poem, but they’ll be something! This event is part of the Verb Wellington LitCrawl programme.

Nov 9

LitCrawl: There's something gay about the process of inhabiting two worlds

The only thing straight and white about the Classical World was the columns (and even those were tapered...). Writers and researchers Ruby Solly (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe; The Artist), Dani Yourukova (Transposium) and Claudia Jardine (Biter) korerō about the myths that came after the mythologies, their research methods, the challenges of their textual traditions and the multiplicity of stories. Together they dig out stories from history, buried under years of heteronormative interpretation, to discover how they can be told anew in the future. This panel is part of the Verb Wellington LitCrawl programme.

Nov 9

Human Toys (France) w/ Goodbye Starlet

Parisian garage punk duo Human Toys are comprised of Poupée and Jon von (x-Rip Offs etc.) who deliver catchy, powerful tunes somewhere between the Ramones and Avengers. Joining them will be Goodbye Starlet, a new, four piece blending pop-punk, folk, and grunge, all with a uniquely Ōtautahi twist.

TICKETS

Nov 20

Past events

Spring 2024

September 4
Ōtautahi Christchurch Poetry Slam Heats
Space Academcy, CHC

September 20
Make It Make Sense by Lucy Blakiston & Bel Hawkins Book Launch
Chair
Scorpio Books, CHC

September 21
Just Janie & Sig Wilder Sylvia Tour
Poetry set
Scorpio Books, CHC

September 21
Celebrate Hayden
With Goodbye Starlet, Too Woke for Toast and Matt Slaughter
darkroom, CHC

October 4
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Marcus Mackenzie and Dietrich Soakai
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

October 19
Goodbye Starlet Come To Pass
With Goodbye Strlet and Matt Slaughter
Arthur’s Pass Community Centre, Selwyn

Winter 2024

June 7
Spoken Word Masterclass
Speaking 4 The Planet and Write On School For Young Writers
Workshop facilitator
Christchurch School of Music, CHC

June 14
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Steffi Brightwell, Ben O’Connell and guest emcee Laura Borrowdale
Curator
Little Andromeda, CHC

June 28
as Goodbye Starlet
Secret shearing shed gig
Sheffield

July 3
WORD Christchurch Festival Programme Launch
With Isla Huia and Josiah Morgan
Featured poet
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

July 5
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Erik Kennedy and Sara Qasem
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

July 12
Face/Off – Comedy vs. Poetry
Team Poetry: Jor Dansaren (c), Erik Kennedy, Claudia Jardine, Lee Fraser and Jeff Cotton.
Good Times Comedy Club, CHC

August 2
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Ella Borrie and Philip Armstrong
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

August 4
Creative Eventing Session
With Courtney Smith from Lamplight Books
Booksellers Aotearoa 2024 Conference, AKL

August 9
Books Alive (Primary Schools Sessions)
WORD Christchurch & NZ Book Awards Trust
Emcee
Haeata Community Campus

August 16
Goodbye Starlet headline show
With support from SWIPERS and Only You
darkroom, CHC

August 28
Insect Poetry Night
Entomological Society of New Zealand Conference
With Gail Ingram, Robinne Weiss and Robert Hoare (Insect Poet Laureate)
Little Andromeda, CHC

August 30
WORD Christchurch
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Faith Wilson, romesh dissanayake, Airini Beautrais and Robert Sullivan
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

Autumn 2024

March 1
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Josiah Morgan and Ray Shipley
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

March 9
Off Centre Festival
How to Wear Your Heart on Your Zine: Poetry and Zine-making workshops
Workshop facilitator
The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, CHC

March 14
Lincoln Library Writing Group
Workshop facilitator
Lincoln Library, Selwyn

March 28
Tūranga Sessions: Claudia Jardine
Author talk
With Poppia Marriott
Tūranga, CHC

April 5
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Rebecca Nash and Koraly Dimitriadis
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

April 6
Poetry Writing Workshop on Poetic Repetition
Workshop facilitator
Arthur’s Pass Community Centre, Selwyn

April 12
Spoken Word Masterclass
Speaking 4 The Planet and Write On School For Young Writers
Workshop facilitator
Tūranga, CHC

May 3
Claudia Jardine’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Stacey Teague and Regan Graham Kupu Stokes
Curator and emcee
Little Andromeda, CHC

May 7
Auckland Writers Festival
STREETSIDE: Britomart
Should I Have Read That?
With Saraid de Silva, Rachael King, Sam Orchard, Nathan Joe, James Wenley, Jess Karamjeet and romesh dissanayake
Curator and emcee
Rocketman, AKL

May 30
Speakeasy
Featured poet
Austin Club, CHC

Summer 2023/24

December 9
Secret backyard gig
CHC

February 17
Renegade set at Camp A Low Hum
Wainuiomata, WLG

Spring 2023

September 4
Christchurch Conversations: Public Transport
Featured poet
Tūranga, CHC

September 19
The Physics Room Writing Group
Workshop facilitator
The Physics Room, CHC

September 21
New Zealand Young Writers Festival
The One Work That Defines You
With Sam Brooks, Abby Howells and Janaye Henry
Panellist
Te Whare o Rukutia, DUD

September 22
New Zealand Young Writers Festival
Otago Poetry Slam
Sacrificial Poet
Te Whare o Rukutia, DUD

September 23
New Zealand Young Writers Festival
Should I Have Read That?
With Isla Huia, Sam Brooks, Eamonn Tee, Jennifer Cheuk and Bronwyn Wallace
Curator and emcee
Te Whare o Rukutia, DUD

September 29
National Young Writers Festival (Australia)
Poetic Repetition for Beginners
Workshop facilitator
Newcastle Library, NSW

October 29
Common Ground #08 Spoken Word Sessions
With Joanna Preston and Hannah Everingham
Featured poet
Sherpa Kai, Lyttelton

Winter 2023

May 17 & 18
Auckland Writers Festival
The Poet Laureate Presents: Chris Tse with Claudia Jardine & Amber Esau
Schools Programme Hōtaka Kura
Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, AKL

May 19
Auckland Writers Festival
STREETSIDE: Britomart
No Giants Above 3.5m
Poetry reading in a loading dock, AKL

June 2
Featured poet at Ray Shipley’s Late Night Poetry Hour
Little Andromeda, CHC

June 28
Spoken Heard launch and showcase
Featured poet
Ao Tawhiti, CHC

August 2
Sweet Mammalian Journal 10th Birthday Party
Music set
Meow, WLG

August 3
Author Talk | Claudia Jardine on BITER
With Anna Jackson
Unity Books Wellington

August 18
Emcee for Lambing Season Youth Open Mic Night
Canterbury Poets Collective
Eastside Gallery, CHC

August 25
WORD Christchurch
Unruly Memories
Featured poet
The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora

BITER Tour

April 12
BITER Launch
Scorpio Books
With Josiah Morgan, Isla Huia and Jack van Beynen
Ōtautahi | Christchurch

April 13
AUP New Poets 9 & BITER Double Book Launch
Unity Books
With Sarah Lawrence, harold coutts, Arielle Walker, Rebecca Hawkes and Rhys Feeney
Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington

April 21
University Book Shop
With Liz Breslin, Rushi Vyas, Eliana Gray and Emma Neale
Ōtepoti | Dunedin

April 22
Timaru Booksellers
With Liz Breslin and Eliana Gray
Te Tihi-o-Maru | Timaru

April 23
Rhyme X Reason Brewery
With Liz Breslin and Eliana Gray
Wānaka

Autumn 2023

March 29
Featured poet at Catalyst Open Mic
Space Academy, CHC

Summer 2022/23

November 1
Short Films by Tate Fountain Book Launch
Featured poet
Enjoy Gallery, WLG

November 5
LitCrawl, Verb Wellington
Round 1 – Sweet Mammalian Poetry Party
Featured poet
Hashigo Zake
Round 3 – Starling: A New Kind of Animal
Emcee
Bartley & Company Art

November 13
Queenstown Writers Festival
Poetry Jam
With Liz Breslin and Ray Shipley
Featured poet
Te Atamira

November 26
New Zealand Poetry Slam 2022 National Final
Finalist
Ellen Melville Centre, AKL

February 3
Featured poet at Ray Shipley’s Late Night Poetry Hour
Little Andromeda, CHC

Spring 2022

September 3
WORD Christchurch
Foundation Pop-up Festival
Featured poet
Foundation Café, Tūranga

September 4
WORD Christchurch
Make It, Say It, Do It Now Workshop
Workshop facilitator
TSB Space, Tūranga
—
Magazine-In-Residence: takahē launch
Featured poet
Foundation Café, Tūranga

Pride of the South Tour

July 1
Little Andromeda
Featured poet at Ray Shipley’s Late Night Poetry Hour
With Rebecca Hawkes and Jordan Hamel
Ōtautahi | Christchurch

July 2
Grainstore Gallery
With Rebecca Hawkes and Jordan Hamel
Te Oha-a-Maru | Oamaru
—
RdC
With Rebecca Hawkes and Jordan Hamel
Ōtepoti | Dunedin

July 3
Hector Black’s
With Liz Breslin, Rebecca Hawkes and Jordan Hamel
Te Tihi-o-Maru | Timaru

Winter 2022

June 18
A MILF in Sheep’s Clothing Tour
Supporting act for Bored Housewives Club
darkroom, CHC

August 25
Spring: Breakdown, Breakthrough
Featured poet
Foundation Café, Tūranga, CHC

August 8
Ōtautahi Christchurch Poetry Slam Heats
Space Academcy, CHC

August 31
Ōtautahi Christchurch Poetry Slam Finals
Space Academcy, CHC