Te Kāhui Creative Writing Programme

After 7 years, with a bittersweet heart, Te Kāhui are announcing their indefinite hiatus of Te Kāhui Creative Writing from the 5th of February 2026.

Empowering rangatahi through the art of storytelling.

“Te Kāhui emerged from the idea that because art has a truly transformative nature, it should be accessible to everybody from any walk of life. To provide meaningful workshops and connect those who are often neglected with artistic support and community will always be central to the mission that this rōpū engages in.”

– Eric Soakai. Te Kāhui Co-Founder and Facilitation Lead

Te Kāhui Creative Writing Programme provide a platform for rangatahi to explore their creativity and share their stories. Through workshops, publications, and community initiatives, they amplify the voices of young people across Aotearoa.

Read more about Te Kāhui Creative Writing here.

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Te Kāhui is an ongoing creative expression programme for rangatahi in Corrections and underserved communities across Aotearoa Te Kāhui continues to create spaces to connect with inspiring young storytellers.

The team is facilitated by award-winning creatives; Ruby Macomber, Sherry Zhang, Eric Soakai, and Phodiso Dintwe. With the support from Manatū Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage multi-year Creative Spaces funding and RFP funding through the Ministry of Justice, Te Kāhui have engaged with over 30 correctional facilities and community spaces, and served over 300 rangatahi in the past year alone.

This included a series of wānanga held in different PHAB facilities, to engage directly with rangatahi that span a broad spectrum of disability. The engagement of non-verbal participants prompted our facilitation team to expand the ways they explored creative expression, from a solely written form to more tactile forms of expression, incorporating objects and materials to engage those less interested in traditional writing. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience for both participants and the facilitators.

Further, Te Kāhui has been entrusted to lead the Corban Estate Arts Centre WORD-UP wānanga series for 2024. This kaupapa connects West Auckland rangatahi to diverse modalities of accessible creative expression. This year, Te Kāhui are excited to facilitate more frequent kanohi-ki-te-kanohi wānanga in Correctional Facilities as far south as Christchurch Women’s Prison.

Want to support the kaupapa?

Te Kāhui would not be possible without the incredible support of its community donors, funders and you!

If you'd like the support the kaupapa you can do so by:

• Purchasing a copy of Te Kāhui's latest anthology: Wāhui Inside – Poetry and prose from wāhine in Christchurch Women’s Prison
• Purchasing their first anthology Taiohi Inside – prose and poetry from 21 rangatahi from Mt Eden Corrections Facility
• Or make a donation to Te Kāhui directly here.

Some feedback from booklet participants...

“I enjoyed it very much. Gave me time to think and imagine. Thank you very much for the opportunity to write these stories and poems. It really gave me a positive view on creative writing and how your own imagination can take you to a happy place even here in prison. Thanks again :)”

“I enjoyed the ‘I am’ poem. I felt satisfied that I’ve completed tasks and aware of how I am truely feeling. The session brought openness back to my mind.

“[The session made them feel] like a weight was lifted like I had talked to someone, it’s good to express how I feel”