Chantelle Van Vuuren (she/her) grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau and daydreams about being a full-time writer in her law lectures. You can find her work in Circular and The Quick Brown Dog.

Joana Joy is Whanganui born and bred. Her main creative domains are in performance: stand up comedy, dance and comedy cabaret. She uses poetry to capture moments in time and as catharsis. There's a whole string of performance accolades and experiences both sides of the Tasman behind her. Joana studied in psychology and philosophy, and is now doing post-graduate Creative Arts Therapy. She is an aunty and sister and yoga teacher. Amidst all this, she loves surfing, riding her bike with no hands on the handlebars, giant cups of English Breakfast tea, reading, crying in public, sunsets and cooking.

Laura Hern is a 21 year old writer currently studying in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. She has been published in Minor Gospel, The Quick Brown Dog Journal, Overcom, bad apple, and Tarot Poetry. When she is not writing she is dreaming, and when she is not dreaming she is writing.

Millie Cole (she/her), originally from Portsmouth, England, grew up in Tauranga Moana. Having recently graduated Victoria University with a BA in English and History, she is now studying a Master of Teaching and Learning (and loving it) back home in the Bay. When not student teaching, you will find her in an op-shop, reading or on a run through the lovely landscapes that surround her.

o(l[i]ve)(*) (bly(th)) is an outer-disciplinary artist, currently living in Te Whanganui a Tara / she is deeply interested in circles & has recently been playing the piano, writing poetry, painting, & poking ink into skin / (her) paintings & drawings have been exhibited at MEANWHILE & Uindō95 / (her) poetry has been previously published by a fine line, bad apple, Circular, Mote, & 5ever Books / @wiggle.wiggle.inc (www.instagram.com) //

Whaitiri Tua-Warbrick (Rangitane/Ngati Raukawa) lives in Palmerston North and upon his heartland, where he knows he's already everywhere he's not already. Having completed his BA in Psychology and Creative Writing, he's been spending more time down by the river (which is all rivers), trying to walk it back to his parents house. Sometimes, he makes it there without meaning to. You can find his work in Landfall, Headland, Mote, and @maoribytheriver. He hopes to see you on the riverbank - in your own time, of course.

bram casey (he/him, ngāti maniapoto) is a writer originally from the icy hills of ōtepoti who now calls the nightclubs of te whanganui-a-tara his home. when he's not on courtenay place, he's a second-year theatre studies student at te herenga waka.

Hebe Kearney is a poet from Ōtautahi who now calls Tāmaki Makaurau home. Their poetry has appeared in places like: Mayhem, Poetry Aotearoa Yearbooks, Starling, Sweet Mammalian, Symposia, takahē, and Turbine. They are also the founder of Blackout Poetry Aotearoa. You can follow their antics on Instagram @he__be or @blackoutpoetryaotearoa.

Éimhín is a proposition that comes from Ireland and various places near the Manawatū River, and now resides in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Porirua. They like making things with their friends and looking at trees. You can find more of Éimhín’s writing in Circular, the Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2025, and tattooed on the arms of their friends. They have an Instagram account under the name @for_eimhins_sake that you could follow if you wanted to.

Elliot Harley McKenzie is a poet living in Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland. Other places they have been published include Starling, Sweet Mammalian, NZ Poetry Shelf, takahē, Turbine, Tarot and Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems.