Organisations all over Aotearoa are beginning to hit the cruise control button and reach for the Christmas drinks trolley - but PANNZ didn't get the memo.

The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand is ramping up their important mahi, as they bring forward a multitude of options for artists and producers to secure their 2025 creative plans nice and early.

The always popular PANNZ Art Market has opened for registration - the 2025 event taking place in Tāmaki Makaurau between 5-7 March, taking place during the first week of the Auckland Arts Festival to give travelling creatives even more reason to make the trip.

The three days curated programme of Pitches, performances and full-length showcases, along with invaluable networking opportunities and panels is always a pivotal pulse check for industry rookies and veterans alike.

Award-winning artist and Arts Laureate Louise Potiki Bryant (Kai Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Waitaha) is creating the 2025 Arts Market's video and imagery design - sure to add another dimension to proceedings.

Will the full Programme will be released in early 2025, locked in already are performances from the likes of Nightsong, Java Dance, Black Creatives, A Slightly Isolated Dog, Trick of the Light Theatre, Agaram Productions, Movement Of The Human and Barbarian Productions.

PANNZ's newest offering - the $2 million Festivals Commissioning and Presentation Fund - has opened for Expressions of Interest from artists, producers and producing arts organisations.

The fund is run in partnership with Creative New Zealand (CNZ) to support high-quality, new and/or reimagined work by NZ artists to be created and presented within Aotearoa, with curatorial decisions to be made in consultation with the local festivals where they will be performed between 2026-2028. It's designed to attract artistically ambitious projects from strong teams and experienced producers. 

And they're not done for the year yet - opening the first batch of nomination opportunities for the 2025 FAME Mid-Career Awards on Monday (16 December).

The annual initiative is a welcome tautoko for members of the performing arts community, with cash prizes of $20,000 available to performers (across Contemporary Dance, Classical Music, and Theatre), Producers, Stage Managers, Production, Design and Technical professionals.

Nominations will close 31 January with the recipients announced at the PANNZ Arts Market.

Amplify deadline looms

From work and career-related dovetailing of duties to the Christmas preparations - there's plenty on everyone's plate right now.

But there's another deadline coming up that the creative community has to address - public consultation for the government's creative and cultural strategy closes in a matter of days on 15 December.

The direction for the Amplify strategy will drive the government's plans for our sector through until 2030. Complaining about it or wanting your voice to be heard following that date is much like trying to panic buy that rare Lego set your son/cousin/nephew has their heart set on - a fruitless exercise.

If you haven't already taken the opportunity, this article contains all you need to know and instructions on what to do to give feedback on a policy that could well directly impact your creative ambitions.

It's worth giving up 15 minutes of your time for - showing those in the corridors of power that this is an engaged sector is a valuable process. 

More than bricks and mortar

Creativity needs a home, and the physical locations that inspire arts and culture have had a busy week.

The most promising news was the long discussed Tauranga Museum has been given the green light to continue, after facing a vote from the city's newly elected council.

The civic whare, exhibition gallery and museum project – part of the $306 million civic precinct – was approved by Tauranga City Council on Monday, amid fears it could have construction halted or the project redesigned.

It's due to be completed by the end of 2028.

Of biggest concern has been the reports that the Michael Fowler Centre could be in line for demolition, with the costs of earthquake-strengthening the iconic and acoustic venue looking out of reach for the Wellington Council. 

It's been met with staunch opposition from many locals, including the  New Zealand Symphony Orchestra who call it home.

The capital has also had a new cultural landmark open its doors, with $61 million Ngā Mokopuna, the Living Pā at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington making its public debut.

Award-winning Māori designer and the VUW's Deputy Head of Design, David Hakaraia has had a huge role to play in the new structure, creating its wooden interior art features. 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori), Rawinia Higgins (Tūhoe) states “It’s taken many hands and minds to get it to this point, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who has poured their heart and soul into it—from the architects, tradespeople, artists, gardeners, funders, and supporters, to everyone who turned out to celebrate the opening.”

Ngā Mokopuna joins only 30 civic constructions around the world to meet the extremely high standards to achieve living building status. It has a cutting-edge rainwater collection system and is net zero in energy, with photovoltaic panels on the roof generating 105% of the building’s electricity needs - meaning it actually gives back to the grid.

Write on

Two promising VUW scriptwriters have been recognised for their talents with a pair of annual awards.

The $5,000 David Carson-Parker Embassy Prize in Scriptwriting has been awarded to Master of Arts student Alaina Wilks for the TV series script FLO about a group of students during Dunedin's infamous Flat Orientation Week and its repercussions. 

Wilks enthuses “I’m so grateful for my classmates, my family, and my friends, all of whom have been the best part of my year. This MA means the world to me, it’s been hard and a lot of work, but it has provided a deep understanding of the art form I love.”

Examiners called the script “captivating, enthralling, tough, raw, authentic, distinctively Kiwi" and that “This series is crying out to be made."

Fellow Master of Arts student Alexander Nebesky won the $4,000 Brad McGann Film Writing Award for his feature film script A Brief History of the End of the World, described as a “an off-beat, human and humane story with an intriguing, ultimately uplifting scenario.” 

Nebesky states, "I'm delighted to receive the Brad McGann award as the punctuation mark on a year of immensely valuable and rewarding writing and workshops.” 

Shand's impressive stint

One of the creative community's veteran advocates is being celebrated as he bows out of a long-held position.

Peter Shand has been farewelled from the Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi board, a role he's held since the regional arts trust for Auckland was founded in 2001. During that time, Shand stepped in as Chair in 2023 before handinf the reins to Agnes Naera, 

As previous Head of Elam Visual Arts, Creative Arts and Industries at the University of Auckland, Shand’s professional interest in contemporary creative practices and his knowledge of what is happening in the creative sector in New Zealand and internationally, has been considered an invaluable resource over the life of the trust.

SOUNZ new Co-Chair

A promotion for one of New Zealand's highly respected creative and cultural governance contributors.

Robert Wiremu has been named as Co-Chair of the SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music Board, which he has been a part of since 2022.

Wiremu (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) states “Governance, ki ahau, is about learning and evolving, growth and service. Above all, it’s about people - supporting them, enabling them, bringing them together. SOUNZ aims to be a people hub mo te whakamanatanga o nga tangata katoa o Aotearoa, and I am proud to be on that haerenga.”

Co-Chair Eve de Castro-Robinson adds "Robert is wise, perceptive, modest, and dignified, with the necessary experience and gravitas for the role."

Wiremu has a long list of leadership experience with organisations like the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, the Auckland Chamber Choir Trust, the New Zealand Choral Federation and Opera in the Pā - as well as advisory roles like Te Reo Ruruku for NZ Opera, Artistic Advisor for Choirs Aotearoa, and as Tuākana Advisor for the School of Music at the University of Auckland.

His own creative endeavours are just as impressive, composing work for the likes of Voices NZ, the NZSO, the Auckland Chamber Choir, the NZ Youth Choir, Auckland Opera Studio, and Chamber Music NZ. Wiremu has also directed, co-directed, and deputy-directed for the Auckland Arts Festival, Matariki Hunga Nui, for Te Toi Waiata o Aotearoa-the NZ National Singing School, the Sing Aotearoa conference for the NZCF, the NZ Youth Choir, and the NZ Secondary Students' Choir and taught operatic, choral, conducting, musicianship, and composition studies at the University of Auckland for over twenty years.

Finalists found

Demand has been high for a place in the prestigeous Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards, with 548 entries whittled down to 50 contemporary artworks from 48 finalists.

Described as New Zealand’s longest running art prize, all visual art forms are invited to compete for a prize pool worth over $25,000.

While a new winner will be crowned, there are a number of returning finalists, including a trio of last year's exhibited artists - Christchurch's Kara Burrowes and Janna van Hasselt, as well as Havelock North's Leslie Falls. 

Falls is one of two artists with two works in the final 50 along with Mickey Smith. Some might see that as a good omen - 2024 winner Elliot Collins was a double finalist.

It's been a big few weeks for van Hasselt, who has also been nominated for next year's RT Nelson Awards for Sculpture - a feat matched by Levi Hawken, one of the artists featured in The Big Idea's video series. 

Also in the mix is former People's Choice Award winner Julia Holden - a joint entry with Sarah McGaughran.

The winners will be announced at opening Awards night on 1 February, running through until 22 March.

Literary variety

The highest ever number of applications for the Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) Contestable Fund Grants provided plenty of competition for the $75,000 on offer.

13 projects from the 92 applications have been supported, demonstrates the work the sector is doing to upskill authors, writers, and publishers.

Georgina Tuari Stewart received the biggest grant, with $8,220 for the development of te reo Māori science education resources. Objectspace wasn't far behind with $8,000 for its writing and publishing project Oceanic Routes: Mike Austin and Pacific Architecture, while Saraid de Silva's second novel and Mila’s Books' Tusitala Mentoring Programme each allocated $7,500.

Kotahi Rau Pukapuka Trust's editing of te reo Māori manuscripts ($7,040), Oratia Books' Moana Oceania: Niue project ($5,300), Michael King Writers Centre's stipend for Dominic Hoey's residency ($5,000), Laura Shallcrass's graphic novel for children ($5,000), The Coalition for Books' 2030 sector strategy plan ($5,000), a new speculative fiction award from SpecFicNZ ($5,000), Minarets Journal's special issue connecting poetry from Aotearoa and South Asia ($4,000), Māori Made Difficult x Hinting at Decolonisation from Āporo Press ($3,500), Nelson Arts Festival Pukapuka Talks Podcasts ($3,400) show the huge variety on offer.

Judge Craig Gamble - along with fellow panel members Abby Aitcheson and Kim Maryann Harris - spoke highly of the process.

“Almost as soon as applications opened, we had a sense it was going to be a special year. There was a huge diversity of different projects of all shapes and sizes, often very different aspirations, and in record numbers – but it soon became very clear that almost all were of a very high standard. It was uplifting to see so much important mahi taking place in our publishing sector in Aotearoa, and a privilege to be able to help some of them towards realising their aspirations.” 

Full of Fringe

The New Zealand Fringe Festival has launched its full programme for 2025 as as we've come to expect, it's a stacked line-up.

More than 170 events at at over 40 performance spaces across 3 weeks (14 February - 8 March) make for plenty of activity in the capital.

Director of NZ Fringe Festival, Vanessa Stacey declares, “For 35 years New Zealand Fringe has been a hotbed of innovation, creation and emerging talent. Giving birth to many of our most notable artists both in Aotearoa and around the world. We are so excited to share our 35th-anniversary edition of the largest open-access, multi-disciplinary arts festival in New Zealand for your entertainment and so you can say, you saw it here first, at the Birthplace of Brilliance!”

Among the many 'ones to watch', Dunedin Tour Ready Award winner Nicola Brown brings her innovative  comedy show Space Invaders after collecting a slew of award from Fringe Festivals across the motu. Last year's Most Promising Pasifika Artist winner LJ Crichton - part of last year's Best in Fringe, Show do Café - returns with a live performance of his debut album Master of None: Brown Fala.

Throw in the likes of NZ International Comedy Fest Best Newcomer and one-third of the Williams comedian family, Maria Williams with Anxiety… The Musical!?, House of Drag season one winner Hugo Grrrl's whānau-friendly Hugo’s Rainbow Show and Sachie Mikawa, composer, sound designer, award-winning theatre maker and much loved character, with Egg....there's a ton of local talent sharing the stage with some intriguing international acts.

AI insight

Artificial intelligence and the arts is as current an issue as it gets - but for Colin Beardon, it's a debate he's been across for decades.

His essay - 'Notes on the Transit of the Artificial' - has won Auckland Art Gallery's $2,500 Michèle Whitecliffe Art Writing Prize that will be published in the December issue of Art Toi, AAG's magazine. 

Beardon's opinion is one worth noting - he earned a PhD in Artificial Intelligence in 1976, has worked in both computer science and the creative arts across the UK, Sweden, Finland and New Zealand. He was the founding editor of the international journal Digital Creativity. Now retired, Beardon remains an active participant in community arts.

“Artificial Intelligence is a mechanisation whereby traditional skills are embedded in machines. The result is that art is reduced to a commodity. I have long argued against this and that artists need to become guardians of the genuine in a predominantly artificial world. I am honoured to receive this award and to know that these concerns are recognised.” 

Judged Dr Mi You notes: “Amidst the outcry, awe, and self-doubt from art producers in the face of AI, ‘Notes on the Transit of the Artificial’ offers a sober and yet heart-warming analysis on what AI means for the arts. Rather than identifying AI as the future horizon we are helplessly drawn to, the author posits that we need to understand the histories of artificiality and artificial intelligence, as well as the conditions and possibilities of making and disseminating art and culture.”

The two runners-up, Angus Graham and Kenneah March Demacali, will have their entries published as articles on the Gallery’s website.