New Zealand's creative community got a little less colourful this week, with the sudden passing of an admired and an always-giving artist.

Mark Braunias was found collapsed outside his Kawhia home and later died at Waikato hospital on Tuesday at the age of 69.

An exponent of vibrant colour and great imagination, Braunias has won some of the country's top prizes - the a two-time Wallace Art Award recipient and one of the distinguished alumni of the the $25,000 Parkin Drawing Prize. He also was awarded a Fulbright/Wallace scholarship to take up a residency at the Headlands Centre for the Arts in San Francisco back in 2011.

But it is his generosity to other artists and art-lovers that is being remembered the most. Braunias is being celebrated for his role in helping students find their own visual voice as a tutor at Unitec between 1993-2013, with former students paying tribute to him on social media as the news of his death filtered through. 

He was also one of the judges for the 2025 NZ Painting and Printmaking Awards.

His well-known and award-winning writer brother, Steve Braunias, wrote an obituary in the NZ Herald and told RNZ "He was a classic artist. He lived for making art. He painted obsessively and was fascinated his whole life by line and colour. He pursued that all his life."

With his work held at Te Papa and a feature at public gallery exhibitions around the country - from Auckland Art Gallery to City Gallery Wellington, Christchurch Art Gallery, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Sarjeant Gallery and his hometown Tauranga Art Gallery - Braunias has made a lasting impression.

He was represented by Christchurch's Jonathan Smart Gallery - with Smart his biggest supporter having exhibited Braunias' work since 1988 (top photo is from his Gallery) - and was regularly shown at Anna Miles Gallery in Auckland and Peter McLeavey Gallery in Wellington.

Ann Packer Gallery in Whanganui had only just taken down what will sadly be his last exhibition. Owner Lorene Taurerewa noted she was surprised such a well-known artist would accept an invitation to exhibit at a gallery that had only been open for 12 months. It will be of little surprise to those who know him.

A lifetime dedicated to art - and making the arts ecosystem a more welcoming place.

Chunn done

This week marks an end of an era, with one of Aotearoa's most dedicated music advocates stepping down from an organisation he's put on his shoulders his own for the last 21 years.

Mike Chunn is a co-founder of the Play It Strange Trust - an organisation that helps bring music and songwriting into the lives of rangatahi across the country. 21 ground-breaking years later, he's walking away from his role as Creative Director.

A celebrated musician, manager and mental health advocate in his own right, Chunn changed the landscape for how this country's youth is nurtured and encouraged to use songwriting in their own way. As the Play It Strange Trust notes "His passion, vision, and unparalleled dedication have not only transformed the lives of several thousand budding musicians but also enriched the cultural heartbeat of Aotearoa."

Play It Strange was born in 2003 from Chunn's desire to foster songwriting among secondary school students across New Zealand - it's done that..and then some...

Throughout his time at Play It Strange, more than 7000 original songs have been entered into competitions, with over 1000 songs recorded professionally. The programme has helped kickstart the careers of the likes of Kimbra, Louis Baker, The Beths' Liz Stokes, Georgia Nott of Broods, Annah Mac, Rebel Reid, CHAII and many more.

While those success stories are impressive, Chunn's greatest achievement with Play It Strange has been to provide a platform for our teens to express themselves, confront their own feelings and feel safe in being vulnerable. Chunn knows the transformative power of music - his legacy is more than just Split Enz and helping others into the music industry, it's about giving New Zealand's youth the tools to explore their emotions at an age where that can be most difficult. It's as much a mental health project as it is a musical one.

Nick Roberts, Music HoD at Kaipara College and Play It Strange trustee says “It is because of his foresight and determination that so many students from my little school and so many others from around the country have been able to find their voices. Mike is an extraordinary man.”

Chun stepped back as CEO (replaced by Stephanie Brown) to be Creative Director last year, now the time is right to ease out of that role too. He won't be lost to Play It Strange entirely - continuing as a songwriting competition judge and through his fortnightly articles, Mike's Musings.

Brown tributes “Mike's vision and dedication built the foundation of Play It Strange, and his passion for nurturing young songwriters has had an immeasurable impact on thousands of rangatahi nationwide. Mike is a true kiwi icon, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Play It Strange remains committed to Mike's vision of fostering creativity and providing opportunities for young musicians to find their voices.”

Topp accolade for Nokise

With the end of the year being the traditional time for reflection, comedian James Nokise's got a little extra something to celebrate in 2024.

The announcement of Nokise as the New Zealand Comedy Trust's 2024 Topp Prize recipient has been well received - as he continues to grow his reputation as  comedian, playwright, columnist, podcaster, theatre maker, and social commentator.  Named after icons Linda and Jools Topp, the annual award honours individuals who push boundaries and inspire through their work.

Nokise - who joins Jo Randerson and Chris Parker as Topp Prize winners - told The Lowdown "I think the Topp prize, in particular, encourages comedians to think broader in terms of applying their skill set, and as things go more digital that’s becoming increasingly important. 

"Something that can happen to live performers over time is they become bound to the stage, in terms of their creative thinking. Awards like this remind us that there is life outside that theatrical black box."

No one's gong to turn their nose up at the $15,000 prize money - but as Nokise points out, "OK, technically it’s $12k. Even comedy prizes have tax. Take out a flight home and its $10k. That’s still the largest prize in NZ comedy." 

As for what he'll do with the money - "Everyone - like an awkwardly large amount of people - keeps telling me to take a holiday. But I love the work. I love meeting people and sharing their stories, I love using comedy to make things a little less daunting and dark. 

"The brutal truth is it lowers anxiety for rent for the next 12 months, if that.  It helps me take a breath, which is important to do when you’re making a lot of different projects. Never underestimate how much you need rest, and how quickly the opportunities slip away."

From performing on stage to directing other comedians, writing for TV, standing up for the arts community, co-founding No Fefe Theatre Collective, becoming one of NZ's leading podcast exponents or touring Faovale Imperium through the UK - the Fred Award winner and two-time Billy T Award nominee is well placed to share his thoughts on how the creative sector has changed in recent years.

He shares with The Lowdown "Well, I think the powers-that-be across all the sectors I’m involved with are still learning how digital works as both a tool and a landscape. So I’m clear; I mean the people with power, not the industries overworked digital teams. 

"That’s an observation, not a critique. Sometimes we forget we are still in the early days of what is possible in performance and communication because of how fast things develop and change. There’s a whole generation that will never know what an international calling card is.

"I think technology has allowed freelancers to be more accessible, and in turn given us the ability to be more selective with who we work with. 

"But I still feel New Zealand is so busy competing against its own market that it loses sight of the international possibilities. We need to believe more that our stories and voices have a place on international stations, and not just as a quirky aside. 

"Thankfully the next generation of performers, with their smartphones and flexible plans, are showing the way."

Green (de)light 

Speaking of awards named after creative giants, Paula Green's Christmas just got a little brighter - the poet given the honour of being the 2025 Margaret Mahy Medal winner.

It's considered New Zealand’s most prestigious honour for children’s and young adult authors, illustrators and publishers, administrated by the Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust.

For almost 20 years, Green has been inspiring tamariki with her books and especially, her love of poetry. She has been active for many years with school visits, teaching creative writing, judging competitions and being involved in literary festivals. Green has published four collections of children’s poetry and edited two children’s poetry anthologies and is a tireless supporter of young writers, offering them a platform to share their work and build confidence in their creative abilities.

Among her many previous recognitions, Green has received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement and made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature. 

Green will receive her medal and give a Lecture at the 2025 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day on 6 April at the National Library of New Zealand.

Green blogged at her popular Poetry Box site  "When I got the phone call a few days ago, it felt both unreal and wonderful, and then, more than anything, it felt utterly special because Margaret Mahy was a key inspiration for me in the 1970s, and across the decades that followed. 

"To give a lecture in her name, ah, it is very special indeed. I will don a mask. I can’t wait to share why poetry for, with and by children is so important."

Big board appointments

A couple of note-worthy appointments this week for two very well-known names in arts world.

The Arts Foundation has announced that Hamish Edgar - son of founding Trustee, the late Sir Eion Edgar - will be stepping into the vacant Co-Chair role for the creative organisation.

Edgar brings a background in finance, investments and company directorships to the position he will share with Chelsea Winstanley, having been a Trustee since 2019. The Edgar Family also fund two of the Foundation's Springboard Awards.

Edgar fills the spot left open by Kent Gardner (who will remain a Trustee), after he was appointed as Chair of the Arts Council that oversees Creative New Zealand.

The woman that Gardner replaced in that role, Caren Rangi, has also had a big week - named as one of the new faces on the New Zealand Rugby board, one of the first Pacific board members for the under-pressure organisation.

Jacinda goes to Sundance

A New Zealand-made documentary about Jacinda Ardern is heading to Sundance - but not the one that was originally approved for tax-payer funding.

Prime Minister, directed by Michelle Walshe, will make its world premiere at the famed film festival in late January. 

It's billed as "an intimate view inside the political and private life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five challenging years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership globally."

Award-winning Local production company Dark Doris Entertainment and Madison Wells (USA) underline they hold full editorial discretion over the film and that no New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) or NZ taxpayer funding has been sought or granted in relation to the production.

The reason they want to make that crystal clear - NZFC had previously announced feature film funding for a different film about Jacinda Ardern which has been in development for several years, to be produced by Emma Slade of Firefly Films and award-winning filmmakers Pietra Brettkelly and Justin Pemberton. But the production went on an indefinite pause, and none of the conditionally approved $800,000 of NZFC funding has been drawn down.

Cass Avery from Dark Doris notes: "We are thrilled that Prime Minister has been invited to premiere at Sundance and as time passes, we see this story becoming an increasingly important one to tell."

Co-Directors Walshe and Lindsay Utz expand “As filmmakers, we were guided by a central question: What does leadership look like when kindness and humanity are at its core?

“As female directors and mothers, this story felt personal to us. In a world facing complex human-centered challenges, we hope this film encourages audiences to see empathy and kindness as not just leadership strengths, but essential tools to building a better future.”

NZFC Chief Exectuive Annie Murray affirms Prime Minister didn't receive any funding from the commission, but they have previously supported Walshe's previous project, Chasing Great. 

Murray states “It is always wonderful to see New Zealand films being selected for international festivals, and Sundance is one of the most prestigious there is.

“We want to see more New Zealand stories being promoted on the world stage, and it is great to be able to congratulate the team behind Prime Minister for their outstanding work.

“We want to build capability in the local film sector and empower our talent to thrive on the world stage, and this selection demonstrates how that pathway from idea to international recognition can work.”

Pride line-up

To a slightly closer geographical festival - with Auckland Pride announcing its first line up for February.

It's an intensive curated arts programme - more than 100 events - featuring major events like Pride Fest Out West and Big Gay Out within the Open Access Festival, as well key works as part of Te Tīmatanga - with Louie Zalk-Neale and Neke Moa - and Pride Elevates moving to Q Loft for three, five-night seasons showcasing a lineup of Takatāpui and Rainbow talent like Brady Peeti, Xin Ji and Jonjon.

The community-focussed Auckland Council Proud Centres programme includes Ang Sininang Bulawan (The Golden Dress) by Marc Conaco at Studio One Toi Tū, Embroidery for Crafty Queers, Proud Voices Open Mic Night on Waiheke Island, The Starlight Disco at Onehunga Oranga Community Centre, Insider Outsider at Mt Albert Library, and the LGBTQIA+ Craft Club (Pride Edition) at Point Chevalier.

The Harbour Bridge will become a part of beacon Pride during February as part of Vector Lights, with a collaboration between artist Alex Watene (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whatua, Te Arawa a Tuhoe) and Mandylights, with the festival to close with Waimahara at Myers Park - a reimagined gathering that shifts the traditional Pride March and Pride Party to an activation that reflects on the strength within the rainbow communities. 

Auckland Pride Executive Director Hāmiora Bailey states “This year’s festival honours the powerful truth that ‘we exist because we relate.’ Through the theme of Tētahi Ki Tētahi—one to another and each other—we recognise the importance of organising, community building, and movement-making as vital forces in our collective journey. Together, we celebrate not just the vital spaces we create within the festival but the deep connections and interwoven histories that inspire our work towards liberation. 

"As we gather in February, our aim is to strengthen these bonds and reaffirm our commitment to each other, knowing that our collective power lies in the relationships that sustain us and the movements we create together. Through art and storytelling, we bring these aspirations to life, weaving narratives that embody the lessons of our pasts and embolden these shared visions for the future.” 

The full programme will be launched on 20 January. 

Creative contributors recognised

Some passionate artists and creative contributors are in the running for top gongs at the New Zealander of the Year awards, with the semi-finalists announced this week.

Artist, advocate and educator Elizabeth Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) has made the shortlist for Senior NZer of the Year for her remarkable dedication to Māori arts and culture across multiple decades.

Ellis has served on both the New Zealand Arts Foundation and Creative New Zealand Council, and chaired Te Waka Toi - the Māori Arts Board of CNZ - from 1994-2006. She was also NZ’s representative on the Council of Pacific Arts and Culture, founded and led the Haerewa Māori Advisory Board at Auckland Art Gallery and established Toi Iho Charitable Trust, which certifies authentic Māori art, and the Wairau Māori Art Gallery, Aotearoa’s first public Māori art gallery. Ellis is currently working on the establishment of the Māori Art Museum of Aotearoa (MAMA).

Hawke's Bay's Jenny Wake is also a Senior semi-finalist for her sizeable contribution to performing arts and children’s media.

From producing and directing pioneering children’s television shows like Play School and What Now to founding Calico Young People’s Theatre, Wake's CV is impressive. As is her commitment to the sector away from the spotlight - she's a driving force behind the advocacy and service organisation PAYPA (Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa) and represents New Zealand internationally through ASSITEJ – ensuring New Zealand stays connected to a global community of theatre makers, often out of her own pocket. 

Two arts organisations are up for Community of the Year, with Featherston Booktown Trust acknowledged for a decade of promoting writers and reading, transforming a small town in South Wairarapa into Aotearoa’s only Booktown, a thriving cultural hub and source of deep community pride. 

Their annual Karukatea Festival, along with the Young Readers Programme, is now a significant event in the cultural calendar, drawing over 9,000 visitors, boosting local businesses and fostering social and cultural connections.

They're joined by Christchurch's Jolt Dance, which has challenging stereotypes around dance and disability since 2001.

Jolt serves a diverse whānau of over 200 dancers with intellectual disabilities, ages from 8 to over 60 with 20 weekly classes - the only organisation in Aotearoa with a specialised teacher training programme, Move.

And as noted previously in The Lowdown, admired artist Tāme Iti (Ngai Tūhoe, Te Arawa, Waikato) is flying the artist flag in the Local Hero of the Year section, making the top 10 semi finalists from the 100 strong field for his mahi and advocacy for Māori rights.

Jones lands big commission

Auckland cultural cornerstone Objectspace has declared its 2025 Courtyard Plinth commission, announcing architectural designer Raimana Jones will be let loose on its latest commissioned work.

The man behind Atelier Jones Design, Jones works across furniture, interior and architectural design - and will create a mobile installation of flexible furniture that draws on his interest in housing density and the design of domestic spaces for the Objectspace courtyard. 

The $10,000 commission - supported by the Jan Warburton Charitable Trust - was thrown open to submissions earlier this year, with the project to be launched in April 2025.

The write stuff

Last week it was the screen writers, this week its the creative writing students of the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) getting recognised.

Gilbert Ostini has won the $5,000 Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing for his manuscript, Rockface - following in the footsteps of the likes of  Eleanor Catton, Rebecca K Reilly, Hera Lindsay Bird and Tayi Tibble.

Ostini states “I’m still reeling, to be honest, and very honoured—this award has seriously impressive whakapapa! And it's been a delight to spend this whole precious year writing and yarning and panicking and drinking coffee/martinis with such a generous, thoughtful, hilarious group of people. 

"There is so much good, brave, beautiful writing being done right now, so, in a political moment that feels particularly hostile to creatives, it's wonderful to be reminded of the support for, and value of, this work.”

The $5,000 Biggs Family Prize in Poetry was awarded to Tess Ritchie for Girl Meets Dog, a poetry collection including at its centre a moving sequence of poems addressing the loss of a mother - particularly poignant as Ritchie is the daughter of late Dunedin fiction writer and poet Ruth Pettis.

“I am overwhelmed by this news and very honoured. Having a year to pour into poetry has been a real privilege and just cemented that this is what I want to do, so to receive this prize feels extra motivating." 

Previous Biggs Family Prize winners include Nina Mingya Powles, Bill Nelson, Joanna Cho, and Sam Duckor-Jones.