Once again, New Zealand is more than holding its own at the internationally acclaimed World of WearableArt (WOW) show - with this year’s finalists announced for the September creative calendar highlight.

86 entries from 17 countries - made of of 100 designers - have made the cut to be shown at the mind-blowing visual performance competition showpiece, with Aotearoa the strongest representation. New Zealanders are involved in 34 of the finalist entries.

The finalists ranging in age between 18-81, include 34 first-time designers whose garments will make their WOW debut - six of them from New Zealand entries.

13 designers across the field have had multiple garments selected for the WOW show, while 49 of the entries have previous finals experience.

WOW’s Head of Competition Sarah Nathan applauds those who made the effort to enter the world renowned event.

“The standard of entries that arrive from around Aotearoa and the world is always extraordinary. This year the level of artistry, artisanal skills and the range of materials used by our finalists is simply phenomenal. The special section themes for 2025 are Myths & Legends, Air and Neon – and the result is a riot of colour, quirk and curiosity.  

“It’s an incredible range of materials - from coffee capsules, melted CDs and can pull-tabs to boat sails, buckets and gumboots.”  

It’s a huge career accomplishment for any creative to be part of the WOW event - truly the biggest annual arena spectacle in the country - where their artistic endeavours will be oohed and aahed over by around 60,000 attendees between 18 September and 5 October, competing for over $200,000 worth of prizes.

Nathan is talking up this year’s event - “Every year the WOW Show is completely different and this year it’s all about uplifting our audience at a time when we all need it. The 2025 WOW Show finalists have brought an exquisite line-up of wearable art that beautifully embodies the spirit we had hoped the show would convey.”  

Loopy laudits

To poorly paraphrase Meatloaf, three out of four ain’t bad.

And it was a pretty remarkable achievement for Christchurch-based performers Siu Williams-Lemi and Leah Williams-Partington, who dominated the Aotearoa Children’s Music Awards at a joyful event at Auckland’s Tuning Fork over the weekend.

The sisters - who write and perform as Loopy Tunes - were nominated in all four of the major categories, up against Hall of Famers, Grammy and Silver Scroll winners. Even in the face of stiff competition, the duo walked away with the coveted Best Children's Music Artist award, as well as Best Children’s Song - Preschool for Lele Means Run and Best Children’s Music Video for The Maui Dolphin. 

A thrilled Williams-Lemi told The Lowdown “Winning these awards means so much to us. It feels like a massive win for not only us but for all those who champion te reo Māori and our Pasifika languages too! 

“It also feels like a win for our wee preschool music genre, as we are so passionate about music in early childhood, so to see our album, Kahurangi - Little Treasures, in the limelight right now is huge. This album is a collection of songs that were inspired by our outreach classes that we have been running for the past 15 years. 

“Going forward we have some cool collaborations coming up, a Northland tour in October, and we can't wait to write some more waiata for our wee ones to sing and dance to.”

Former Best Children’s Artist Michal Bush - AKA Music with Michal - continued the Christchurch connection, claiming the Best Children’s Song - Primary for Shapes and Colours, while the South Island clean sweep was confirmed with Dunedin 11-year-old Emery Goodwin winning the Kōkako Award for young performers.

Goodwin told The Lowdown “I was very excited to win this award. It felt like a surprise as I thought the other finalists were so great as well. I felt lucky to get the opportunity to go to the workshop. I loved going to the workshop and making new friends with the other finalists. That was one of my favourite parts. 

“I hope to become a successful singer/dancer and keep performing, hopefully doing some musicals one day!"

The next step in Goodwin’s promising future will be to have her original song Enjoy the Ride - written by her mother - arranged by the Auckland Philharmonia, which she will get to perform live on stage with the orchestra later this year. 

Rita's retirement

A major change for choir music cornerstone Bach Musica NZ - with Rita Paczian retiring from her position as Music & Artistic Director.

Paczian gas been in the role for an incredible 31 years and has been the driving force behind the organisation’s high standard of musicianship. The organisation has praised her dedication, enthusiasm, drive, energy and passion for music - bringing from her native Germany outstanding qualifications as a conductor, singer, organist and harpsichordist.

She will retire at the end of the 2025 season with two final performances at the Town Hall (21 September and 7 December), as the hunt begins for Paczian’s replacement.

Success for creative industry 

A rare win at Parliament for the creative sector - with the Government listening to advocates ahead of the announcement of its new vocational education and training (VET) system. 

It’s been confirmed that of the eight Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) that will replace the Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), the arts will indeed be included after initially being overlooked.

Dr Claire Robinson, Chief Executive of Toi Mai - one of the WDCs being disestablished at the end of the year - states “Following strong advocacy from industry, the creative and IT sectors we cover including screen, game development, AI and cybersecurity have now been allocated to several ISBs, instead of being shifted to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as was originally proposed by Government.”

The creative sector has been added to the Services ISB and Digital Technology to a new Electrotechnology and Information Technology ISB - in what is seen as an unfortunate split.  Robinson explains the Government originally excluded creative and IT from its original ISB proposal on the grounds they don’t offer traditional apprenticeships.

“Our advocacy highlighted that formal apprenticeships can’t exist in these new-economy industries – not because they aren’t interested in workers earning while they learn, but because there are structural differences such as gig-based work and independent earners lacking resources that make it hard to offer traditional apprenticeships.

“This doesn’t mean different ways of work-based training can’t be devised, and Toi Mai has been working with industries such as the screen sector to create new and innovative work-based training models. We hope this can continue under the new VET system.”

Another leading light in championing the creative sector’s value to government, WeCreate Chair Paula Browning told The Lowdown “WeCreate is delighted that the creative sector - one of NZ’s most productive sectors that delivers so much economically and culturally for the country - has been included in the ISB groupings. 

“We are however concerned to have been split from technology when there’s such great synergy between our sectors. We need the VET system to develop new models of work-based-learning for creative and tech skills, not just for us but across the whole workforce. 

“With the ISB groupings now known, we’ll be focussing our advocacy on the transition process from Toi Mai with a goal of ensuring minimum impact on our sector’s training needs.”  

International accolades for Toi Māori 

The mark of authenticity and quality for Māori art and artists isn’t just recognised locally.

Toi Iho - an independent, Māori-led organisation that upholds the integrity of Māori art as a response to cultural appropriation and misrepresentation - has received an Honourable Mention in the 2025 Jeonju International Award for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) - an award that celebrates outstanding efforts to protect living cultural traditions worldwide.

“This Honourable Mention belongs to the many Māori artists, organisations, and supporters who work tirelessly to protect and promote our living traditions. It’s a call for all societies to value and uphold the richness of Indigenous cultures,” states Toi Iho Chair Elizabeth Ellis.

“Toi Iho is more than a mark, it’s a movement, a symbol of mana, identity, survival, and future potential,” Ellis - the Senior New Zealander of the Year - continues. “This recognition affirms the importance of protecting the integrity of our stories, our artforms, and our ways of being in the world.”

Championing Māori artists who demonstrate cultural authenticity and artistic excellence - Toi Who has over 200 life-time registered creatives with some of the biggest names in the Aotearoa arts community.

Here’s just a taste - Ana Iwi, Brett Graham, Briar Grace-Smith, Mataaho Collective’s Bridget Reweti, Erena Baker, Terri Te Tau and Sarah Hudson, Cliff Curtis, Dame Gillian Karawe Whitehead, Dame Hinewehi Mohi, Maureen Lander, Patricia Grace, Witi Ihimaera, Fiona Pardington, Gavin Bishop, George Henare, Tā Pita Sharples, Hone Kouka, Janet Lilo, Karl Chitham, Lisa Rieihana, Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole, Moana Maniapoto, Nigel Borell, Paula Morris, Rachel House, Rawiri Paratene, Rena Owen, Reuben Paterson, Sandy Adsett, Taika Waititi, Temuera Morrison, Tiaki Kerei and Tā Derek Lardelli.

Another Toi Iho artist, Jimmy James Kouratoras is also helping fly the ngā toi Māori flag Internationally after a busy month.

His painting, Hei Tiki – For the Love of Our Ancestors, is being displayed in New York City as part of the Sacred Origins exhibition at Jutta Gallery, marking the Māori-Greek artist’s first showing in the art capital since 2015. In a career milestone, recently, Hei Tiki was displayed on a towering 10-metre digital billboard in Manhattan’s Theatre District.

“It was like sending a message from the ancestors straight into the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities,” states Kouratoras (Tainui Waikato, Ngāti Tīpā Waikato, Crete, Greece). “As an artist, most of my work happens in solitude, in deep connection with ancestry, whenua, and wairua. So to have that work seen and recognised on an international stage is a privilege.”

Kouratoras has also been named a finalist in the 2025 National Contemporary Art Award and currently has a solo exhibition at Franklin Arts Centre in Pukekohe with Matariki Sacred Waters – Where Land Meets the Sky.

 Big boost

Championing Māori art is also at the heart of a new Boosted crowd-funding campaign launched this week.

Running for the month of July, E Tū Toi is a new initiative to help drive creative projects with Māori kaupapa into delivery. 11 artists are in the inaugural campaign, with one month to raise pūtea from their communities with Creative New Zealand’s Māori Strategy and Partnerships team matching every donation with $3,000 or $5,000 to help unlock each project’s full potential.

“E Tū Toi is a way for wider Aotearoa to directly support ngā toi Māori and ringatoi to be visible everywhere, and highly valuable as part of the distinct identity of Aotearoa. Boosted demonstrates the power of community, and the importance of collaboration through crowdfunding,” says Justine Pepene-Hohaia, Senior Adviser, Māori Strategy & Partnerships.

“This kaupapa increases the visibility of ngā toi Māori, and ensures that through visibility and strengthening the waka, ngā toi Māori is highly valued as a taonga woven into the fabric of New Zealand's cultural identity, and admired by global audiences.”

Awa Puna’s queer horror film project, The Nephilim has the most ambitious target with $18,000, followed by Ngaroma Riley’s wāhine-led carving studio in Pakuranga, Te Ana o Hine, and Ron Te Kawa’s Whakapapa Quilt Wānanga - both seeking $10,000.

Renowned choreographer Tiaki Kerei is bringing his skills to Whakamana Creatives dance theatre project PŪNGAO - ENERGY ($7,000 target), while fellow respected dance figure Moss Patterson’s short film Taupō Hau Rau, Corey Le Vaillant’s trilingual short film Tama and Mahuika, Troy Ruhe’s docuseries Te Whatakai, Oli Mathiesen’s quest to take his award-winning The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave show to the Edinburgh Fringe, Faith Henare-Stewart’s 2026 Fringe Festival live band theatre experience Welcome to the After Party,  Anthony-Quinn Cowley’s school-based Māori Toi Akoranga programme and Fiona Collis’ large-scale woven installation Hau Kainga 2.0 are all seeking $6,000 targets.

Patterson explains “I’m really excited to be part of this new E Tū Toi initiative, which is all about amplifying Māori voices. As a mokopuna of Tūwharetoa, support like this means a lot. It’s not just about the pūtea – which goes straight back into our communities – it’s about knowing our stories are being heard, valued, and backed...as a past Laureate, I understand the transformative impact recognition can have.”

“These artists are visionaries. They are reclaiming space, uplifting whānau, and building a future where Māori stories are central to who we are as a nation,” adds Chelsea Winstanley, Arts Foundation Co-Chair. “Their courage, creativity and commitment deserve to be seen, celebrated, and supported.”

UNESCO to go?

Auckland’s status as an UNESCO City of Music will be up for review later this year, after the man that’s driven it and the trust behind it wrapping up its involvement abruptly.

A late Friday afternoon press release - often the domain of politicians trying to keep the profile of the information low - announced that Mark Roach would step down as Director of Auckland City of Music Trust on Monday (30 June) and that the Auckland City of Music Trust will also be concluding its operations as kaitiaki and representative of the city’s UNESCO Creative Cities Network designation.

Roach has been a crucial cog in Tāmaki Makaurau gaining UNESCO recognition as a City of Music in 2017 and the trust has provided ongoing momentum to help maintain this designation. Under his guidance, the Super City was awarded the Best Global Music Office in 2021 and again in 2022 with the award rebranded Best Global Music City. Roach was also instrumental in the establishment of the Equaliser global programme, a gender equality programme that has its roots in Aotearoa.

In a statement, Roach outlines “It has been one of the greatest privileges of my career to lead this kaupapa over the last 8 years. I have been continually inspired by the talent, creativity, and deep expertise that exists within our music sector. I’m incredibly proud of the projects and initiatives we’ve delivered, the global awards we have garnered, and grateful for the many people, cultures, and rich experiences this role has brought. 

“I truly hope this work has helped pave the way for the future success of our city’s vibrant music ecosystem.”

Roach’s experience and expertise won’t be lost to the sector, as he puts his full attention into his multi-disciplinary and creative consultancy agency Muse Creative, well established in the industry.

But what now for Auckland’s status as a UNESCO City of Music? 

Kenneth Aiolupotea, Auckland Council’s General Manager of Community Wellbeing responded to The Lowdown “As the Auckland City of Music Trust winds down, I would like to acknowledge the role this body has played over the past eight years to champion and maintain Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s designation within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as an official City of Music.”

Aiolupotea notes the Trust “has brought opportunities and recognition from UNESCO’s global network to Auckland, both as a destination and to the city’s many talented musicians and wider music sector.

“Since the trust can no longer provide this support, the council will retain Auckland’s celebrated UNESCO status through to October 2025, with Mayor Wayne Brown remaining our City of Music representative. This arrangement will be reviewed after the elections by incoming elected members.

“In line with the objectives of being a City of Music, the council continues to foster talent and creativity within the city in many ways. This includes prioritising music events, festivals, projects and initiatives that provide ongoing opportunities for musicians, choirs and artists to entertain and perform, and for Aucklanders to participate.”

That decision is only months away, and the make-up of the next council could have a major impact on its future.

Cottage fever

From a UNESCO City of Music to a UNESCO City of Literature, the 12 writers who will take up residence at an historic cottage in Dunedin between late 2025 and early 2026 have been confirmed.

The Robert Lord Writers Cottage Trust has been a haven for authors for decades, with the likes of Claire Mabey, Ruby Macomber, Sam Brooks, Albert Belz, Emma Hislop, Nathan Joe, Fifi Colston, Mere Whaanga, Paula Green, Linda Tyler, Vincent O’Sullivan having worked on their highly regarded mahi at the Cottage over the last 22 years.

That list has grown with Cromwell landscape poet Ella Borrie and Wellington based academic Anna Jackson to both work on new collections of poetry, North Shore-based writer Gina Butson to work on an environmental thriller set in Antarctica, Whangerei’s Janine Williams to add to her middle-grade fantasy novel series, while Munich-based, Dunedin-born multi-disciplined creative Helen Varley Jamieson will work on a book that draws on her experience in creating cyberformance and Ruapehu-based author Hazel Phillips is focussing on a narrative history of early women climbers and adventurers of Aoraki Mount Cook and Aotearoa-born Jewish artist and writer Casey Carsel to progress and revise their experimental short story collection.

In the performance space, Proudly Asian Theatre Company co-founder Chye-Ling Huang combines with scientist and storyteller Geoff Bonning to work a political climate play set in Dunedin, Tāmaki Makaurau playwright Nuanzhi Zheng will be developing a multimedia theatre piece and Wellington’s Jack McGee is working on a full-length play.

Already announced and locked in for their residencies are Auckland Pride Praise the Lord playwright in residence Joshua Iosefo (Mush) - in a year-long residency consisting of development and writing opportunities for a queer playwright - and NZYWF 2025 Young Writer in Residence, Ōtepoti-based writer and performer Nick Tipa.

Finally, a reason to like Mondays

You can forgive creative enthusiasts in the capital for feeling a literary lag this year - with Verb Wellington taking a pause in these turbulent times. But there’s a much-needed fillip on its way next week.

Writers on Mondays - a free lunchtime series run by the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) - is set to provide a much-needed boost for fiction and poetry fans starting from 7 July to 29 September at Te Papa Tongarewa and Circa Theatre, with two special evening sessions at Meow.

Chris Price, IIML MA workshop convenor and Writers on Mondays organiser told The Lowdown “With the absence of both Writers Week and the Verb Festival from Wellington’s literary calendar this year, Writers on Mondays is an important opportunity for writers to meet their readers, and for readers to discover new writing.

“As you might expect, the IIML has a particular interest in fostering new writers and first books of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, but we also programme more established writers – this year we have the much-loved Jenny Pattrick in conversation with break-through debut novelist Jennifer Trevelyan, for example.”

They also have the services of one of the biggest fiction writers in New Zealand right now - this year’s Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize winner at the Ockham NZ Book Awards, Damien Wilkins will be joined by last year’s winner Emily Perkins to chat about his bestselling novel Delirious.  While he’d be a headliner at any festival around the country, Wilkins probably didn’t need to be asked twice, considering he is also Director of the IIML.

He told The Lowdown “The focus tends to be mainly on Wellington writers because of budget constraints, although this year we do have quite a few coming from elsewhere,” explaining how the writers appearance fee is covered from the private sponsorship of the Letteri family. 

“We try to make interesting connections between writers. We ask, ‘Does this session make sense? Do the writers have some kind of shared kaupapa or a link that will make for lively conversation?’ Since it’s free and at lunchtime, the series attracts decent and loyal audiences. It really is a great tonic to the Wellington winter.”

The events feature many writers who previously studied at the IIML, including Ockhams First Book Fiction winner Michelle Rahurahu and fellow debut author Gina Butson, as well as other MA graduates like Michelle Duff, Nafanua Purcell Kersel, Jennifer Trevelyan, Nina Mingya Powles, Chris Tse, Gregory Kan, Cadence Chung, Jiaqiao Liu, Rachel O’Neill and Amy Marguerite, plus Mikaela Nyman, who completed her PhD with the Institute. Wilkins notes ”It’s a thrill to see so many writers on the programme with strong connections to the IIML taking their work to the world.” 

Price adds “The programme also features some recurring events: each year, it highlights a selection of poets featured in the annual anthology Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems, and gives the writers emerging from our MA Page and Script workshops a chance to perform (or have their work performed) in public, often for the first time.” 

Wait is over

An emerging Auckland writer has been given an opportunity to have her story reach new audiences.

Kaanti Raju (who will be published as Katya Raju) has been named a joint winner of the $1000 Folly Prize with Australian Katy Knightson - that will see her work published in the next issue of Folly Journal.

“I am so happy and so grateful to have been chosen as one of the winners of the Folly short story prize. It’s so incredible knowing that someone’s resonated with my writing and felt it was worth something.”

Raju’s story - Waiting and waiting - is about a young woman navigating workplace racism ("Indians don't have dogs") and seeking validation through digital intimacy. “I wrote this piece thinking about the stories I’d tell my university friends about work, and how they’d share similar ones from the shitty minimum wage jobs they worked.”

Her work entered the journal's mentoring programme and underwent collaborative development over several weeks. ‘We've always said we're not looking for the most polished pieces,’ says Editor Emily Makere Broadmore, stating Raju’s piece was promising and raw.

The decision to split the prize came after Knighton’s story of satirical absurdism - about a town obsessed with teenage masturbation - generated such polarised responses that editors placed it on the desk at Wellington Writers' Studio for a week, collecting feedback from local writers that varied from “a work of genius” to “Why?”