The shortlist for the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults was announced this week and, among the titles, is a story on the theme of Matariki by journalist and broadcaster Miriama Kamo.
Arts news for 1 June 2025.
This next fortnight sees the visit of indigenous performers to Aotearoa from across Te Moana Nui a kiwa -the Pacific Ocean. They are presenting works at two established contemporary festivals - Pacific Dance New Zealand in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, and Kia Mau in Poneke Wellington.
Every week in RNZ Culture 101's Regional Wrap we find out about the arts scene in a place beyond our city centres. This week it's a suburb that developed its own sense of identity before travel was made easier by a harbour bridge. It's Takapuna on the North Shore of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
A competition to see who's best at doing nothing will be one of the highlights at the Melbourne Rising Festival. The Space Out event will last 90 minutes and participants have to excel at doing nothing while treating it like a competitive sport. In a world that glorifies hustle culture and productivity, this is encouraging the opposite. First held in 2014, South Korean artist Woopsyang set up the exhibition when she herself was struggling with burnout. It has since gone viral around the world tr...
In 1988 a choir founded in the '50s Soviet socialist era, the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir released the album Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares. It won them a Grammy, turned them into an unlikely global sensation and is said to have helped birth the genre World music. Kate Bush recorded with them that same year, and David Bowie and his wife Iman even chose one of their songs to replace 'Here Comes the Bride' at their wedding. Today, that choir is part of a distinctive international c...
Angella Dravid is this year's Fred Award winner for best show at the International Comedy Festival, taking home the iconic gumboot and a prize of 5000 dollars. She's only the third woman to ever win that prize. Her comedy show I'm Happy For You is a dark spin on deeply personal stories, traumatic moments from her life and the concept of being jealous. Angella has also appeared in films and television including BabyDone, The BreakerUpperers, Jono and Ben, Funny Girls and won Taskmaster in 2020. I...
Each week, Culture 101 puts the spotlight on a different part of Aotearoa for our Regional Wrap. This week Culture 101 heads 45-minutes north of Auckland to Warkworth. It's located at the head of the Mahurangi Harbour with Matakana, Goat Island and Tawharanui regional park and beach nearby. The local museum features speakers each month telling stories of pioneering families. A permanent light installation in the forest launched last year before Matariki and during the winter a sound piece set up...
There's a dark side to motherhood that can still be too taboo to talk about. It's the hidden part which can be lonely, filled with rage and the reality can be monstrous.
From Castlecliff to Thames, half court to full court, around Aotearoa artists are increasingly being commissioned to create eye-popping colourful designs for public basketball courts. These courts, here and internationally, have long been the obsession with drones of celebrated Tamaki Makaurau Auckland-based aerial photographer and artist Petra Leary.
For most people, the concept of getting up on stage for improvisation is the stuff of nightmares, let alone doing it at work with your colleagues.
'Post High Slide' from Ohinehou Lyttleton based singer songwriter Mel Parsons is one of several new songs released ahead of a tour of Aotearoa and Australia that kicks off Sunday March 25 in Poneke Wellington.
Arts news for 18th May 2025
With his teaching and his own independent game studio Zach Dodson aims to push the boundaries of narrative-driven games.
It's been 10 years of the Italian Film Festival in Aotearoa and what started out as a way for Paolo Rotondo to showcase and preserve his culture here - is now a 9-month celebration across the country from April to January each year. Since 2015, more than 200 films have been shown and this year's programme is promising a curated selection of gripping dramas, heartwarming comedies and diversity. There will also be iconic films including The Talented Mr Ripley and the English Patient. If that's not...
Today we head to to Otautahi Christchurch and the seaside suburb of New Brighton east of the city. Joining us is a Kai Tahu, Ngati Maniapoto practitioner in rongoa and raranga (weaving) with the Kahu Collective Lisa Harding.
Male footwear with a whole lot more creative personality is a passion of two Culture 101 guests. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland curator, artist and arts advocate Nigel Borell and Poneke Wellington City Council officer Karepa Wall have, alongside artist Lisa Reihana, their shoes featured in a new exhibition Well Heeled: Shoes With Personality at the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt until October 6.
Award-winning poet and filmmaker Matariki Bennett is celebrating her debut poetry collection E kō, nō hea koe. It's been three years in the making and the coming-of-age style collection pays homage to Tamaki Makaurau, Wellington, her whanau and a period of her life in which she experienced many changes. The 22-year-old is a curator of the Auckland Writer's Festival alongside her father, writer and director, Michael Bennett. She's also a founding member of the bilingual Slam Poetry Collective, Ng...
I went into Liv Ward's debut solo comedy show in Poneke Wellington with many questions. And, after an hour of absurd theatre, they actually started to feel answered.
Josh Thomson has been in Wellington with his comedy festival show Old Mate which travels to Tamaki Makaurau this coming week. In his new set, he's coming to grips with his mortality, being a middle-aged parent and realising he's no longer the cool young buck he thought he'd always be. The comedian and actor has appeared across both New Zealand and international films and television including Gary of the Pacific, Wellington Paranormal, The Office - Australia, 7 Days, The Project NZ and won awards...
Shiyi Redpath is better known as Lily Catastrophe, a burlesque performer whose debut solo theatre show, Bottom Surgery was a critical hit at this year's New Zealand and Dunedin fringe festivals.
In the 1860s and 70s two Norwegian settlements were established in the lower North Island. As the name of one of those today suggests - Norsewood - Norwegians were invited to settle here to clear a huge swathe of forest known as Seventy Mile Bush. Which makes the arrival of Norwegian novelist Lars Mytting this weekend down the road at Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival rather apt.
Artist and illustrator Alex Scott's debut graphic novel Episodes has a dedication: "For anyone who's ever fallen for the commercial." Yes, whether it's a catchy theme tune, witty meme, friendly protagonist or memorable refrains, you may find yourself falling in love with an advertisement against your better judgement.
Dr Kerryn Palmer is a senior lecturer at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University. A seasoned theatre practitioner and teacher, with a PhD in devising theatre for and with young audiences, she is a fierce advocate for the role of theatre and the arts for the young. She currently also facilitates national network PAYPA (Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa). She believes systematic change is needed and joined Culture 101. https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/reinstate-creatives-in-schools-p...
The phrase 'clown doctor' may lead to memories of Robin Williams' character in the 1998 film Patch Adams. It was a character who was based on a real person. Kiwi theatre maker Phoebe Mason is a real clown doctor at The Humour Foundation in Melbourne; taking theatre, fun, and laughter into hospitals. Several years ago, a nurse studying for her PhD looked at the work of clown doctors and their impact on patients and the working environment. The Royal Children's Hospital then reached out to the Hum...
Whakatane-based artist Sarah Hudson is this year's Naoshima Artist in Residence. Sarah has now opened her work - Reconciliation at the Setouchi Triennale on Megijima island in Japan, in which she looks at the concept of connection between lands, islands and identity. The Triennale runs until November and the international arts event attracts more than a million visitors each year. The residency is a partnership between McCahon House, Asia New Zealand Foundation and STILL; a community of business...
Pat Shortt first made it in comedy in Ireland young, back in the late 1980s before there was even a comedy scene, He was one half of a beloved comedy duo D'Unbelievables. But it was a celebrated TV programme that first aired 30 years ago last month, Father Ted, which Kiwis will remember him from. While the film work continues, in the last few years Pat has entered into a new popular comedic partnership, on stage and social media. With his daughter, Faye Shortt.
Known for her gregarious nature, powerful vocals and wicked sense of humour - Jackie Clarke is one of the country's favourite entertainers. With four decades of experience under her belt, Jackie was given a New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 and the Variety Artists Lifetime Achievement Award - The Benny last year. Now she's going prima diva around the South Island on a 23-date tour with Arts on Tour. In her first solo show she's paying homage to legends like Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and Nina...
Welcome to May and a bumper crop of cultural events - which makes this week's Culture 101 Fast Favourite guest an easy pick, given he embraces all fields, often at once. Otepoti Dunedin's David Eggleton is a writer, performer and art critic.
Arts News for Sunday 27th April 2025
