The King's Birthday Honours list is always a moment for the country to celebrate its finest. And while the number of creatives selected in this batch may be lower than in recent cohorts, the worthiness of those named today (3 June) is as impressive as ever.

The highest honour given out to the creative community goes to Megan Tamati-Quennell, made a companion of the NZ Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to Māori and First Nations art.

Tamati-Quennell (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha) has been an active member of the arts sector for 34 years and is recognised as the country’s longest-serving curator of Modern and Contemporary Māori and Indigenous art - holding the role at Te Papa since 2004 including exhibitions at iwi, national and international level.

Since starting her training with the National Art Gallery in 1990, she has elevated and supported many Māori and First Nations artists, has built a significant collection for Te Papa Tongarewa and has advocated for Māori curatorial practice and scholarship. She has worked for Ngāi Tahu for more than 25 years, curating in the first Ngāi Tahu arts festival in 2000 and ‘Mo Tatou’ (2006), the first major survey of Ngāi Tahu art at the request of the tribe. Her work is recognised as foundational in strengthening Ngāi Tahu arts.

Tamati-Quennell also took on the role of the inaugural Kairuahi Taketake Toi Onaianei Indigenous Curator Contemporary Art at the Govett Brewster Art Gallery from 2020 to 2022. Recognised for her specialist knowledge, she is sought after internationally as a curator, adviser, writer, editor and speaker.

In case that wasn’t enough - Tamati-Quennell is the curator of the 2025 Sharjah Biennial, the first Māori curator invited to work on an international project of this scale.

Another hugely admired figure leads a list of more than half a dozen creatives to be recognised as Officers of the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM).

Esteemed director, performer, writer and dramaturg Anapela Polata'ivao - just last month a recipient of the FAME mid-career awards - has been honoured for services to Pacific performing arts.

Polata'ivao’s talents has been elevating the voice of South Auckland women for decades - as a co-founder of the Kila Kokonut Krew theatre collective, tutor at the Pacific Institute of Pacific Art, and director of key works like Tusiata Avia’s Wild Dogs Under My Skirt across NZ, Australia and the US (including as a performer) and for organisations like Auckland Theatre Company.

Throw in accolades for her acting skills like her award-winning performance in 2012 short film Night Shift, a New Generation Laureate, and Creative NZ’s Pacific Contemporary Artist Award - today’s honour is just further proof of her extraordinary impact.

Lisa Warrington’s services to theatre and education for over four and a half decades has seen her make the list. 

Having started as the sole drama lecturer at the University of Otago back in 1981, she retired as Associate Professor of Theatre Studies in 2018, having built up a successful theatre programme at the university that is well known for supporting NZ theatre, including Māori and Pacific theatre. Her achievements include reviving Allen Hall as a working theatre space, reinstating the Lunchtime Theatre programme, and helping keep professional theatre alive in Dunedin as one of the directors at Fortune Theatre.

More than half of her 130 directed plays are New Zealand works, she has published three books and set up the Theatre Aotearoa database with more than 20,000 records of productions since 1840 by professional and community theatres, entering and maintaining much of the data herself until the present.

Also on the ONZM list is New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO)’s first female Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor, Gemma New, for services to music direction - learning of the news while on a conducting tour of Europe and the United States - with the BBC Philharmonic up this week.

In a statement, New acknowledges “I feel deeply grateful and honoured to be appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Moreover, I am thrilled we are recognising the vibrant role of orchestral music in New Zealand, especially the powerful performances by our incredible NZSO musicians.

“I wouldn’t be able to share my passion for music now, if I hadn’t experienced my first Mahler in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra or been inspired by the performances of many exceptional colleagues and peers while growing up here in New Zealand. It gives me great joy to bring support to the new generations of musicians and music lovers, and to see our classical music community blossom and thrive.”

Since starting her conducting career at the Christchurch Youth Orchestra, New has held key positions around the globe and has conducted more than 50 international orchestras - and is a proud champion of Kiwi composers, with several of her concerts overseas and in New Zealand having included New Zealand works.

Tanya Ashken has been highlighted for services to sculpture, silversmithing and jewellery - a sign of her contribution since arriving from the UK 60 years ago.

Born deaf, Ashken is a modernist artist and arts advocate whose work is represented in collections and public spaces around New Zealand. She was the second recipient of the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship at the University of Otago back in 1967, was commissioned by the New Zealand Arts Council to produce a silver and amethyst pendant for HRH Princess Anne on her 1970 tour of New Zealand and is a life member of the Wellington Sculpture Trust.  Ashken’s work is represented in public galleries around the country, as well as universities, court houses, civic buildings, churches and parks, in addition to several works on display in Australia and China.

Auckland designer Adrienne Winkelmann has been given her ONZM for services to the fashion industry - with her self-titled fashion label operating since 1980 and supporting charities through donating designs to Dress for Success and raising money for the likes of Women’s Refuge and Starship Children’s Hospital.

Masterton’s Ian Grant is another feeling the ONZM glow, for services to literature and historical preservation. His own history includes setting up independent book publisher Fraser Books with his wife, and writing 18 books which has focussed on the history of newspapers and cartoons in NZ.

Grant was the Alexander Turnbull Library’s inaugural Adjunct Scholar and a founding editorial and marketing director of National Business Review, and well as receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2012 Media Awards.

Theatre features in the Members of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) with National Youth Theatre (NYT) Chief Executive and Co-Founder James Doy given his dues for Mr James Doy for making significant contributions to developing children and youth through the arts, including as a professional musician, composer and performer.

NYT has produced 36 musicals over 15 years and more than 200 workshops and holiday programmes, with more than 10,000 participants - including Doy’s establishment of the Outreach Programme which offers free performances to schools and scholarships for young performers.

Thomas Coyle was honoured for services to the New Zealand Police and Disaster Victim Identification - but also for volunteering his time for Auckland’s performing arts sector, where he has co-managed Centrestage Youth Theatre, judged the Northern Area Performance Theatre Awards and works behind the scenes in productions across Auckland theatres since 2008.

Warner Haldane’s MNZM comes for decades of devotion to arts administration, particularly music, having volunteered with a variety of arts organisations at local, regional and national levels since 1974.

With roles with gallery and museum associations through to the New Zealand Choral Federation under his belt, it is perhaps his love of organ music that stands out. He was the New Zealand Organ Association's (NZOA) National Secretary for 12 years before becoming President in 2017 - he also donated $50,000 to establish the New Zealand Organ Music Foundation in 2022 and is a Trustee and Secretary.  

His other current roles include the  President of the Bay of Plenty Music School Board since 2008 and is the current Vice President of the Whakatane Music Society.

A love of music also drives Allister Macgregor’s recognition for services to pipe bands - as a Board member (2012-2023)  and President (2014-2018) of the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association (RNZBPA).

There are three creative recipients of the King’s Service Medal (KSM) as well.

Raumati local Mervyn Allison’s 82 years of playing brass instruments - and time as President of brass bands in Kapiti, Christchurch and Wellington has earned him life member status of both the Wellington Brass Band and Kapiti Brass - now topped off with a KSM.

Pat George (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu) has a KSM for services to mosaic art and the community, with her work adorning community and hospitals around Northland. George helped establish the National Mosaic Committee for the New Zealand Mosaic Art in 2016 and has been the Chair of the committee since. 

Musician and composer Tupuna Kaiaruna has been honoured for services to the Cook Islands community and performing arts, after decades of teaching and cultural preservation in Tokoroa and Auckland.