On Friday 22 August, Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day 2025 erupts across Aotearoa. With more than 110 events from Kerikeri to Invercargill, poetry is taking over streets, libraries, schools, galleries, and even pubs. If you've ever doubted the power of poetry to connect, now’s the time to tune in.
From the page to the pavement, we’ve been putting poetry on the streets since the 80s. This year, we’re proud to launch our 2025 Poem Poster Season — a nationwide street poster campaign featuring verses from some of Aotearoa’s finest poets.
You’ll find the words of literary legends like Emma Neale, C.K. Stead, Robert Sullivan, and Grace Taylor pasted up as a reminder that poetry doesn’t live in books alone.
It’s part of our everyday landscape. It stops us in our tracks. It makes us feel something in the middle of the mundane.
Now in its 28th year, National Poetry Day is about accessibility, diversity, and discovery.
With events designed to surprise and delight, 2025’s line-up includes:
Magnetic poetry walls
Hip hop and spoken word gigs
Typewriter poems in the city
Workshops in the bush
Blackout poetry using vintage Forest & Bird magazines
A trans-Tasman writing workshop with Robert Sullivan and Australia's Poetry Month
The Great NZ Poetry Display-Off, lighting up libraries and bookstores across the country
This year’s theme is all about ownership. Our words, our voices, our day. Phantom Billstickers is honoured to partner with the New Zealand Book Awards Trust once again to help lift local voices into public spaces. We believe in giving poetry a platform — not just for a day, but all year round.
Because when you put poetry in public, it becomes part of the cultural conversation. It sparks something. It reminds us who we are.
Want to find a poetry event near you?
Keen to check out a poetry poster in your neighbourhood?
Thinking of running your own event next year?
Explore the full event calendar, download resources, and follow the poetry across the country:
www.poetryday.co.nz
Instagram / TikTok: @nzpoetryday
Facebook / X: @NZPoetryDay
Hashtag: #NZPoetryDay
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