It’s A Queerevolution: Samesame But Different Announces 2023 Programme

Samesame but Different LGBTQI+ Writers and Readers Festival returns from 21 – 25 February with a five-day festival that celebrates the evolution and revolution of Aotearoa’s queer literary community. The 2023 programme, which is on during Auckland Pride Festival, brings together an abundance of queer literary experiences from some of Aotearoa’s brightest and queerest literary minds.

Samesame but Different is Aotearoa’s first LGBTQIA+ festival, founded in 2016 by the late Peter Wells, amplifying the voices of a diverse range of queer writers and the issues they’re passionate about. In 2023 Ellen Melville Centre alongside selected other venues will become a hub of mostly free activity, with events ranging from a gala event, book launch, poetry and play readings, panel discussions, and a lecture.

“We are super excited to be back in person during Auckland Pride for 2023. We missed the bumping space that is created when big brains (authors, creatives and audience) get in a room together to discuss their lives, their work and their visions for the future.” says Simie Simpson, Samesame but Different Festival Chair.

This year, more than 20 accomplished writers and literary greats come together to celebrate the QUEEREVOLUTION, including Joanne Drayton launching her new book The Queen’s Wife, Auckland Pride’s Creative Director and award-winning playwright Nathan Joe, comedian Ray Shipley, poet and painter Rebecca Hawkes, broadcast journalist and historian Paul Diamond, acclaimed feminist dramatist and fiction writer Renée and this year’s Honoured Writer, Chris Tse.

Highlights of the festival include the annual Peter Wells Lecture, named in memory of the festival’s founder, this year presented by poet essa may ranapiri, and the announcement of the winner of the Peter Wells Short Fiction Contest at the Opening Gala. The contest gives New Zealand LGBTQIA+ writers the opportunity to show their creative skills in writing. Following the Gala is Speaking the Unspoken: Words I Should Have Shared, with authors sharing a letter, a poem, or telling a tale about something that they wished they’d said. The lineup of speakers includes 2022’s Honoured Writer Courtney Sina Meredith and fiction writer Anthony Lapwood. The next day, Samesame will host a series of panel discussions starting with Tuākana/Teina, a thought-provoking intergenerational conversation that explores the evolution and revolution of Aotearoa’s queer writing and creative community including the likes of journalist and playwright Aroha Awarau, award winning author Gina Cole and more.

Closing out the festival will be an extra special performance of Show Ponies, making its long-awaited Tāmaki Makaurau debut. Featuring a line-up of eight poetry icons, Aotearoa’s best live poets perform their work in outrageous costumes, amongst bright lights, beats and backup dancers. MC’d by Show Ponies ringleader Freya Daly Sadgrove, this is an electrifying poetic extravaganza that you won’t want to miss.

View the full programme at https://samesamebutdifferent.co.nz/

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