NB: July '24

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Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha, Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature

Anne Shelah — Jul 1, 2024

Project Coordinator Anne Shelah shares recent updates from the City of Literature.
City of Literature South D Poet Lorikeet, Jenny Powell with Class Kererū — Image by: Trisha Geraets

City of Literature South D Poet Lorikeet visits Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School

Our City of Literature South D Poet Lorikeet, Jenny Powell, recently visited Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School’s Class Kererū (Years 7 and 8) to conduct two engaging poetry sessions with well-loved, threadbare ‘Teddy’ as inspiration.

During the workshops, Jenny motivated the children with her clear and effective approach. The children tapped into their imaginations, with ideas ranging from a bear that can beam teddy knowledge, to humorous concepts for a sitcom series. As one student said, ‘I want to become a poet like Jenny when I grow up.’  

City of Literature South D Poet Lorikeet, Jenny Powell with a Class Kererū student introducing his soft toy to Teddy — Image by: Trisha Geraets

These engaging sessions built upon the popular Teddy Poetry Workshops held in 2021 and 2022 across 14 new-entrant classes from six Ōtepoti primary schools, which resulted in a delightful anthology of poems by the children published by Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature.

The Class Kererū students are now working on artworks to complement their poems. The City of Literature team is looking forward to publishing this magical collection as well, for the children to take home and share with their whānau.

David Elliot — Image by: Deane Patterson

Stunning artwork by David Elliot commemorates Lord Byron

In a wonderful collaboration with Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature to commemorate the bicentenary of Lord Byon’s death, Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature was thrilled to contribute an original piece of art by Ōtepoti’s award-winning illustrator and writer David Elliot.

David's artwork, a stunning black and white pastel with coloured acrylic gel accents, brings to life the haunting tale of the Black Friar of Newstead Abbey, Byron’s ancestral home, a place of eerie, captivating history which inspired much of his poetry.

The artwork hanging in Newstead Abbey, Nottingshire, England.

This intriguing piece will be displayed throughout 2024 at Newstead Abbey located in Nottinghamshire, England, hung in Lord Byron’s dressing room, seemingly just the place a ghostly Friar might like to float. The piece will be returned to Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature at the end of the year and gifted for permanent display in our City Library.

Listen to David talking about this commission on Write Spot with OAR FM here: Write Spot with Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature - 06-12-2023 - Illustrator and Writer - David Elliot (accessmedia.nz)

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