Catalyst Literary Arts Journal

22/01/2024

Super opportunity coming up to read, learn and write with the amazing Joanna Preston. This will be an intimate writing group and is an absolute steal at $30. Get amongst!

Now accepting enrolments for: Summer 2024 January 27th to February 9th, 2024Reading for Writing: Louise Glück A three session Reading for Writing course looking at the work of a Nobel Laureate who …

14/01/2024

Congratulations to everyone who organised their poetry into a manuscript and submitted to the 2024 John O'Connor First Book Award. It's a great step just shaping up a collection for possible publication, so well done you all. To those with their fingers still hovering over the 'send' button - you have two hours: entries close tonight (Sunday 14th January at midnight - feels fitting for a poetry deadline somehow). Do it!!

06/12/2023

Ahh, we were so looking forward to a nice break but then the old, white, racists started a rearguard action to defend the decaying ways of colonial hate and inequity. So the poets must sharpen their pencils once again. Where there is hate, we will spread love. Where there is despair we will bring joy. Where there is middle-class 'common sense' we will foment absurdity and nonsense. Catalyst Christmas Cracker volume 2 fresh out the box! Join us at Space Academy nowish!

28/11/2023

Such a great read from Dominic Hoey. There's still just a few tickets left for Friday's show (followed by Ray Shipley's Late Night Poetry Hour for a double-taste!) Here's the direct link to get yours: https://littleandromeda.co.nz/show/dominic-hoey-book-launch

Dominic Hoey hits the road to bring poetry to the people, whether they want it or not

27/11/2023

It's a double-header at Little Andromeda this coming Friday! First up it's the Dead Bird Books on tour at 7pm and then it's that late night flavour with Ray Shipley and the Late Night Poetry Hour. at 9pm. Why not get in early and ride the wave?

24/11/2023

Our very own Ciaran Fox is going to be on RNZ National's Culture 101 show tomorrow, Sunday 26th Nov at 2.30pm. Stuff n' nonsense, mental health, twenty years of indie publishing and maybe even poetry.

On the back cover of his recently published first book of poems, Crackle in the Rain, Ciaran Fox describes himself as a whisky-chasing sensualist, poet, father and born-again skateboarder. He is also an ardent supporter of emerging writers: a regular co-host of Poetry Slam and a cofounder of the lon...

21/11/2023

Catalyst presents: Poets on the Block, live at Block Party in The Arts Centre Market Square. This Saturday we're taking over the stage for a half hour showcase of some fine Ōtautahi wordsmiths and performers. Spread the word! Featuring Ray Shipley, Andy Coyle, Ciaran Fox, Melanie McKerchar and Doc Drumheller! Saturday 25th Nov, 2pm. The Arts Centre Market Square.

07/11/2023

Very excited to see that applications are open for the 2024 John O'Connor First Book Award! Check out the details and criteria below and take advantage of this beautiful opportunity from Sudden Valley Press and Canterbury Poets Collective.

Named after SVP’s co-founder, and offered in collaboration with the Canterbury Poets’ Collective, this biennial award offers publication to the best debut manuscript of a local poet. The inaugural …

02/11/2023

So it's been 20 years of literary lava for these two dudes. It's time for literary cake! Catalyst 20th anniversary with a distinctly Halloween vibe. Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us! Arohanui. Here's to 20 more! See you at the Christmas party. 🥳

01/11/2023

One of the best poetry experiences you can have is Ray Shipley's Late Night Poetry Hour and this one, THIS ONE. Get in and secure a ticket in advance - this will fill up fast. Friday 3rd November, 9pm, Little Andromeda

Do you need some poetry in your life? It’s time for another Late Night Poetry Hour! Featuring incredible poets Tusiata Avia, Ben Brown & Josiah Morgan (holy MOLY what a line up) with an open mic to start. This Friday, 9pm, at Little Andromeda. Let’s feel some feelings in a room together (and then turn those feelings into action!)

Please get a ticket (they’re free / pay what you can) in advance to help with our planning: https://littleandromeda.co.nz/show/ray-shipley-s-late-night-poetry-hour

ABOUT THE POETS:

Tusiata Avia has published 5 books of poetry. Wild Dogs Under My Skirt and The Savage Coloniser Book are also successful stage shows. Wild Dogs Under My Skirt played off Broadway in 2020 and won Outstanding Production of the Year at Soho Playhouse. The Savage Coloniser Book won the 2021 Best Book of Poetry at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Earlier this month Tusiata was awarded Distinguished Alumi at Te Herenga Waka University of Victoria. Her most recent book, Big Fat Brown Bitch is out 10 November 2023.

Ben Brown was born a week before the Rolling Stones played their first gig, which was longer ago than he cares to think about sometimes. He is an award winning children’s author, poet, short
story/non-fiction/freelance writer, though he has never quite been able to work out what the various distinctions are, so he refers to himself primarily as a writer, yet he does display an occasional propensity toward performance poetry probably as a result of an overt desire to appreciate the
sound of his own voice in the hope that others may share his apparent enthusiasm for it.

Josiah Morgan (he/him, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a q***r multi-faceted creative from Ōtautahi. Josiah has been writing for several years and has been involved with performing arts nearly his entire life. His book ‘Road: A Postlapsarian Comedy’ won the Macmillan Brown Writers’ Prize in 2021.

31/10/2023

We're not lying about the cake...Catalyst volume 20: Oma, oma, oma! See you tonight for a slice o' poetry. 7pm Space Academy

30/10/2023

Announcement! We're stoked to let you all know that we have a special guest appearance at our Catalyst 20 launch by The Argonauts - playing a set of songs that'll stir your poetic hearts. Join us for music, poetry and... cake! 7pm, Weds 1st November at Space Academy.
Image: actual footage of The Argonauts training for the Catalyst 20 year celebration party. They take this stuff pretty seriously.

24/10/2023

Don't forget - it's not too soon but it's nearly too late to get your submissions in to the Catalyst Christmas Cracker magazine - we've extended the deadline to the end of this week. Free copy if you get published (and bragging rights! 😎) and you can also sort all your Christmas shopping in one hit. Launching at our Catalyst Christmas Party 6th December.

Introduced in 2022, we're bringing back the best little awkward Christmas gift ever! Catalyst Christmas Cracker, our very own Xmas Xine is ...