The Arrowtown Creative Arts Society and Queenstown Writers Festival are excited to be bringing the New Zealand Poet Laureate Chris Tse to Queenstown for two very special events

Chris Tse is a New Zealand poet, short story writer and editor.  His works explore questions of identity, including his Chinese heritage and queer identity.  Tse was named New Zealand's 13th Poet Laureate (2022-2025).

Friday 8 August, 7.30-9.00pm, The Sherwood, Queenstown

For one night only, Chris will be reading selections from his previous collections, plus new poems written during his time as Poet Laureate that focus on how we capture and express joy, particularly during times of crisis and uncertainty.  Local poets will also share the stage with Chris for this special event.

Saturday 9 August, 10.00am - Midday, Te Atamira

A Poetry Masterclass with Chris Tse.  In this session, Chris will lead participants in reading and discussing several poems to explore a range of voices from contemporary New Zealand poetry.  The class will also be given prompts for writing exercises.  This is a one-off opportunity to learn from the Poet Laureate and numbers are limited.