Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts

Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts We are Aotearoa's leading presenter and maker of cutting edge arts experiences

Wellington Jazz Festival has just announced the first headliner for their 2026 season: Macy Gray 🎤💫 As part of her lates...
02/06/2026

Wellington Jazz Festival has just announced the first headliner for their 2026 season: Macy Gray 🎤

💫 As part of her latest international tour, GRAMMY Award-winning soul icon Macy Gray will make her long-awaited return to Aotearoa after more than a decade, including a special Wellington Jazz Festival performance on Thursday 15 October at St James Theatre.

Pre-sale on NOW - sign up to Culture Club at cultureclub.raiselysite.com for access 🎫 General sale on from Thursday.

The 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards took on the Civic stage in Tāmaki Makaurau last night and boy did our kiwi artists delive...
29/05/2026

The 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards took on the Civic stage in Tāmaki Makaurau last night and boy did our kiwi artists deliver! HUGE congratulations to the following Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts alumni that took home Tūī awards last night 🎉

🏆 Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist - Michael Norris
🏆 Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content - Stella Reid
🏆 Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist - MĀ
🏆 Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist - Tom Scott
🏆 Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group - The Beths

Ka pai, tīma! ⭐

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Dame Jools Topp, one of the legendary Topp Twins 🌿For more than 40 years, Dame...
26/05/2026

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Dame Jools Topp, one of the legendary Topp Twins 🌿

For more than 40 years, Dame Jools Topp brought warmth, humour, music and immense joy to audiences across Aotearoa; while living 22 of those years with extraordinary courage through breast cancer.

The Topp Twins joined the Festival in 2012, performing their music-comedy show at the Festival Club - a fitting reflection of the generosity, wit and connection they shared with audiences throughout their remarkable career.

Our thoughts are with Lynda, their whānau, friends, and the many people whose lives were touched by Dame Jools.
Moe mai rā 🤍

Reminisce on AroVision with their 2009 documentary, 'The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls': ondemand.arovideo.co.nz/film/the-topp-twins-untouchable-girls/

📸 Jools and Lynda Topp at the 2012 New Zealand International Festival by Robert Catto, Photographer.

ICYMI: The Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest returns to Te Whanganui-a-Tara on 11 July at the Michael Fowler Centre for its 70th...
15/05/2026

ICYMI: The Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest returns to Te Whanganui-a-Tara on 11 July at the Michael Fowler Centre for its 70th anniversary! 🌟 Secure your seat to see our top rising operatic talent at the 2026 Grand Final Gala NOW 🎫

See the six finalists accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra perform live for Head Judge, Frederica von Stade in the hopes of being crowned the 2026 Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest winner.

✨ Join us for a night full of excitement and incredible music and get your tickets at songquest.nz - link in bio 🔗

Follow the journey at Song Quest 👈

It’s with heavy hearts that today we share news of the passing of arts rangatira Carla van Zon ONZM (1952-2026).Much-lov...
30/04/2026

It’s with heavy hearts that today we share news of the passing of arts rangatira Carla van Zon ONZM (1952-2026).

Much-loved and respected by the arts community in Aotearoa and internationally, Carla worked for the New Zealand Festival for 20+ years including as artistic director 2002-2006. A former dancer, Carla championed the arts and artists all her life and in her roles at the Festival, Creative New Zealand and at Auckland Arts Festival, she shared her passion with audiences. She remained a close friend and mentor to our co-directors Tama Waipara and Dolina Wehipeihana, along with other staff and Board members, and she leaves behind a legacy which stretched across the world.

We will be sharing tributes to Carla on our website, festival.nz

Moe mai rā e te tuhi māreikura 🌿

Our preliminary survey results are in and we’re as happy as you are! Thank you to all who attended the 2026 Aotearoa New...
17/04/2026

Our preliminary survey results are in and we’re as happy as you are! Thank you to all who attended the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts and made it another incredibly special year 💖

“What a stunning performance. I don’t very often weep at the theatre. Powerful.”; “It was so amazing - mīharo koutou katoa. Really powerful piece of theatre!”; “I thought it was one of the most extraordinary pieces I’ve ever seen. I loved it.”; “What a stunning performance.”; “It’s beautiful, one treasure after another”; “What an absolutely freaking glorious show”.

Your feedback will help us make the 2028 Festival the best it can be! See you then 🎉

📸 Nick George .creative

The AMAs nominations are out and we’re delighted to see a few Festival artists on the list! 🌟Good luck to: ✨ MĀ – Blame ...
17/04/2026

The AMAs nominations are out and we’re delighted to see a few Festival artists on the list! 🌟Good luck to:

✨ MĀ – Blame It On The Weather (Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year) | (Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist)
✨ Rob Ruha, Troy Kingi, Kaylee Bell – Matariki Hunga Nui (Mana Reo)
✨ Michael Norris – Rerenga (Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist) (SoundCathedral photo)
✨ Stella Reid – Scared Old Men (Dick Move) (Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content)
✨ Nadia Reid – Enter Now Brightness (Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist)
✨ The Beths – Straight Line Was A Lie (Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year) | Metal (Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year) | Straight Line Was A Lie (Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group)

Tune into the winner’s announcements livestream on Thursday 28 May via RNZ.

📸 Nick George. Stella Reid/Werewolf photo taken by Mouce Young. Nadia Reid photo taken by Matt Grace.

09/04/2026

Thursday throwback! 🥳 Check out what we were up to in the 90s.

Cool then and cool now 🎭

Help us make the 2028 Festival the best it can be and fill out our survey 🌟 Plus... by submitting you go in the draw to ...
19/03/2026

Help us make the 2028 Festival the best it can be and fill out our survey 🌟 Plus... by submitting you go in the draw to WIN a $150 Restaurant Association voucher 💸

⏰ Complete the survey at the link in our bio by 5pm Friday 3 April to be in the draw 🔗

By sharing your thoughts, you help us to understand how you felt about your experience, what worked well, and what could be improved for the future. Plus, as a charitable trust your input plays a crucial role in our reporting to funders, supporting us to demonstrate the impact and value of the Festival!

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