Special Guest Poet Emma Neale at the Invercargill Public Library

We're thrilled to announce award-winning poet Emma Neale is our special guest for our upcoming Open Mic Night on Saturday 23 August!

Entry is free for this event, so come along and listen to some amazing local talent (and even read some of your own if you would like to!).

Emma will also be hosting a workshop for keen poets on Sunday 24 August.
Entry is $20.00 per person. Sign up via the Dan Davin Foundation: https://www.dandavin.org.nz/workshop-with-emma-neale.html

Emma is the author of six novels, seven collections of poetry, and a collection of short stories. Her sixth novel, Billy Bird (2016) was short-listed for the Acorn Prize at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and long-listed for the Dublin International Literary Award. Emma has received several literary fellowships, residencies and awards, including the Lauris Edmond Memorial Award for a Distinguished Contribution to New Zealand Poetry 2020. Her latest poetry collection, Liar, Liar, Lick, Spit (Otago University Press) won the Peter and Mary Biggs Award for Poetry at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, 2025. The mother of two children, Emma lives in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, where she works as an editor.

Photo credit: LK Creative

You may also like the following events from Invercargill City Libraries and Archives:

• Next Monday, 18th August, 08:00 am, Official Book launch of Grief Like Wild Horses: Navigating the Wild Terrain of Heartache and Healing in Invercargill
• Next Wednesday, 20th August, 08:00 am, Slam Poetry Workshop with Ingrid Svedlund-Campbell in Invercargill
• Next Thursday, 21st August, 02:00 am, Step Into the Past: Find Your Digital Family Footprint in Invercargill

Also check out other Arts events in Invercargill, Literary Art events in Invercargill, Workshops in Invercargill.