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 compassion.
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 Aotearoa and the world share their ideas and their stories with curious readers. Our next festival will be 11 - 13 September 2026. You can view our 2024 festival programme here.
LitCrawl is our one-night only, high-energy literary festival that champions the grassroots and the experimental. LitCrawl 2026 will take place 14 November. You can view the 2024 line-up here.
Verb Events
We run literary events and host a number of incredible writers throughout the year. For example, we recently hosted Eleanor Catton (pictured), Ali Mau, and Australian writer Trent Dalton who appeared with Bret McKenzie. Keep an eye on our homepage for upcoming events.
Verb Readers & 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: theVerb 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. First volunteering at LitCrawl six years ago, Kate has long been a part of Verb, working across different capacities including Volunteer Coordinator and Front of House Manager. During her bookselling days, she led the festival bookselling teams from 2022 -2024. Kate spent four years as the Events Coordinator at Unity Books Wellington and is deeply connected to Pōneke’s vibrant literary community.
Melanie Hamilton: Trustee
Melanie is a passionate reader who joined Verb in 2021 as festival producer. She then went on to be executive director and co-director, and joined the Trust in 2026. Melanie also works in the performing arts and is Creative Producer at EBKM.
Claire Mabey: Founder / Trustee
Claire is the author of The Raven's Eye Runaways (winner of Best First Book, and Best Junior Fiction Book at the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults), and of its just-released sequel, The Raven's Eye Rebellion. She is books editor at The Spinoff, and a frequent guest on Radio New Zealand and ABC's The Bookshelf podcast.
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.