Phantom Billstickers gears up for National Poetry Day

By Phantom Billstickers | Posted: Monday Aug 04, 2025

Phantom Billstickers is ready to hit the streets with poem posters for its annual campaign sponsoring and celebrating National Poetry Day this August.

The 2025 poem poster season will showcase works from celebrated poets Ben Brown, Glenn Colquhoun, and newcomer Taylor Grace. It will also feature contributions from the Ockham Book Awards finalists for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry, namely C.K. Stead, Richard von Sturmer, Robert Sullivan, and award winner Emma Neale.

“Poetry on the street is a simple, yet profound way to connect with people. It offers a moment of reflection, a flash of beauty, or a spark of thought in their daily lives,” says Robin McDonnell, CEO of Phantom Billstickers.

“As Phantom Billstickers founder and patron of the poems on poster initiative, Jim Wilson, aptly puts it: ‘When you put a poem on the street, you’re putting up words straight from the heart, you’re sparking conversations and igniting imaginations.’ We believe these poems will do just that.”

Passion for poetry

National Poetry Day is held annually on the fourth Friday in August (this year, it’s on August 22).

Phantom Billstickers’ support extends beyond posters to supporting and promoting events, ranging from open mic nights and school initiatives to public displays and live performances, set to take place nationwide.

Keep an eye out for these poem posters appearing across Aotearoa over the next month, and mark your calendars for National Poetry Day on August 22 for a nationwide celebration of words.