About Verb Wellington
Here at Verb we’re all about making space for stories, books, writers and readers to come together. We passionately believe that stories, books and ideas can change the world.
Our mission is to support and nurture our literary arts community so we can together move through a future filled with experiences that sustain the spirit and grow empathy.
Every year we have a big, beautiful party that celebrates books, reading, ideas, information and conversation. Over several days we gather, roam and talk together. Writers and artists from all over the world and Aotearoa share their ideas and their stories with curious readers. The most recent festival was 7 - 10 November 2024 and was a special one: check out the programme here!
LitCrawl Wellington is always the centrepiece of our party with over 24 events in one Saturday night, with over 140 artists, and 20 of Wellington’s indie businesses and public spaces.
Verb Events
We run literary events and host a number of incredible writers throughout the year. For example, we recently hosted Eleanor Catton (pictured), UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, supported by British Council, and Australian writer Trent Dalton who appeared with Bret McKenzie. You can see our past events here (which is also where we’ll add upcoming events).
Verb Readers and Writers Festival
Verb Residencies
We can’t live without creativity in our lives. Our mission is to connect the eco-system between readers, and the writers and artists who create the work that inspires us. Our residencies provide opportunities for artists to take time (supported by space and money) to make work. When funding allows, we offer Micro-Residencies that coincide with the Festival. We also run: the Verb Wellington Residency with Katherine Mansfield House & Garden, which offers three weeks of paid writing time at Katherine Mansfield’s birthplace, while you stay in a lovely spot in Wellington; the Verb Children’s Writers Residency, which offers three weeks of paid writing time at the historical Sexton Cottage, Wellington; and Verb’s Home-based Writers Residency to support writers to complete residencies at home.
We want to make Wellington one of the world’s most supportive creative cities.
Verb for Wellington
Pōneke, Te Whanganui-a-Tara is our beloved home. We are committed to keeping our creative community safe, nurtured and vibrant. Our work has been recognised internationally by our peers as innovative and welcoming. We look to a bright future, a radical one, where the creative work that keeps people and communities going is at the centre of national and international conversation.
Who we are
Gabrielle Vincent: Co-Director
Gabrielle Vincent (she/her) is a curator and producer of live performance from Tāmaki Makaurau. As well as being co-director at Verb, she is also the Family and Schools Programmer at Auckland Writers Festival. Gabrielle was the Programming Director for Basement Theatre from 2015 – 2019, she still feels inspired by the determination and creativity of all the independent artists she got to work alongside within this role. From 2020 – to January 2023, she was the Artistic Director of the Tauranga Arts Festival, where she had the privilege of programming multidisciplinary arts experiences and literature events for Tauranga Moana.
Kate McDonald: Co-Director
Kate McDonald (she/her) is passionate about nurturing creativity, loves supporting new writers and building inclusive, welcoming spaces for artists and audiences. She spent four years as the Events Coordinator at Unity Books Wellington and became deeply connected to Pōneke’s vibrant literary community. Outside of work, Kate can usually be found reading, knitting, tending her vegetable garden, or watching films.
Melanie Hamilton: Trustee
Melanie joined Verb from the performing arts, where she also works as a producer and dramaturg. Melanie first joined Verb as producer of our 2021 festival, and went on to be executive director and co-director. In 2026, Melanie joined the Trust.
Claire Mabey: Founder / Trustee
Claire is a writer, reader, festival organiser and books editor at The Spinoff. She loves running, travelling and lying down with a book. She’s currently writing novels for children and working on one for adults, too.
Andrew Laking: Founder / Trustee
Andrew is a musician and spent a big chunk of his life touring the world with Irish folk group, Gráda. Andrew is now part of the production team behind a lot of Verb’s work, and is the creator and director of Lōemis festival, a Solstice-timed dark moth that creates a series of bespoke productions with musicians, prop-makers, sculptors, fire artists, designers and his own musical energy.
Wellington Treasure Trust
The Wellington Treasure Trust governs Verb Wellington's activities. Trustees are: Emma Marr (Treasurer), Catherine Robertson, Brannavan Gnanalingam, Claire Mabey, Andrew Laking and Melanie Hamilton.