DETAILS
POETS! WRITERS, WORDSMITHS
an open invitation to participate in
SPEAK TO THE TREES!
A brief social sculpture, to create human birdsong
Bring your soap box, beer crate, step ladder or just stand your ground
and speak to the trees! Let the public wander around and hear you.
A 1 hour free event
1pm to 2pm
Upper Botanical Gardens
Monday 26 October Labour day
Parents discretion invited
an open invitation to participate in
SPEAK TO THE TREES!
A brief social sculpture, to create human birdsong
Bring your soap box, beer crate, step ladder or just stand your ground
and speak to the trees! Let the public wander around and hear you.
A 1 hour free event
1pm to 2pm
Upper Botanical Gardens
Monday 26 October Labour day
Parents discretion invited
Speak to the Trees! - a new Dunedin literary event - Oct. 26. 2026
On
this, 26th of October, there is to be a Family Picnic day in the
botanical gardens, put together by Garden Ōtepoti. In association with
this event I am staging a brief Social Sculpture of 'human birdsong'
that I've called, "Speak to the Trees!"
The
idea is to invite poets, writers, wordsmiths of all types, ages and
abilities, to occupy the paths, nooks and crannies, of the upper
botanical gardens, the south side of the hill, from 1pm to 2pm, that
same Labour day/ picnic day. And encourage the attending public to
wander around the upper gardens and listen.
Attached
is a shareable flyer for potential participants, outlining the above
information, where the keen, can contact me here, or at
[speaktothetrees1@gmail.com](mailto:speaktothetrees1@gmail.com), and I
will provide a map of the area to inhabit (Upper Garden, south side of
hill) and instructions on where to meet ( at the worm at 12:30pm!).
I
don't imagine that people will perform for the entire hour, but I am
hoping, at the very least, to have any and all present, start sharply at
1pm.
If you
feel you are able to support such an action, would you be so kind as to
share this invitation with your people/ members/ audience.
If there's any questions please ask! This is an experiment, a gentle one, but the results are not in!
The entire event is free to participate or attend.
Thanks for your time.
The
event is situated outside on the south side of the hill in the
botanical gardens, in an area called the Upper gardens on maps. The idea
is to meet at the worm in front of the cafe, in the gardens at 12:30 pm
and then head up into the space, where people can choose their own
paths, nooks and crannies to perform in.
There
is no set number, no gate keeping or hierarchy, it's a walk in walk
out, come one come all kind of activity, with an open age group of
participants and possible audience members. Given that it's being held
at the same time as a family picnic event, I'm asking people to be
mindful that there's likely to be children around, However you are free
to perform what you wish, parents discretion is invited.
Generally
speaking, the idea is that any and all that are keen to perform, start
at 1, speak to the trees! Meaning perform with or without an immediate
human audience, but to feed the bush and whoever is in it, with your
work and go until you feel like stopping.
The
event officially ends at 2pm. I am trying to create an experience of
listening to the sound of a collection of poets in the bush, like
birdsong, but at midday. I also like the idea of being able to wander
around and hear different types of poetry without being obligated to
have to stay and listen to what you are not grabbed by... encouraging
exploring both bush and poetry at the same time.
The
whole event is taking place in association with Garden Otepoti, family
Picnic day*, which comes at the end of ten days of Garden workshops and
seminars. The picnic day crowd is estimated to be around 500 people. So
hopefully we will get a percentage of that coming up the hill to hear
the poets, speak to the trees.
*
"Bring a blanket and stay a while. Smith & Sons Family Picnic Day
is the last day of Bloom Spring. After ten days of talks, workshops and a
weekend of open gardens, the festival finishes with a free day in the
Dunedin Botanic Garden for anyone who wants to come along.
10am to 2pm · Free entry · please reserve a (free) ticket"
Poster
Poster
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