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Record year for NZ plays

The Big Idea Editor — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:46:03 +1300

Playmarket, New Zealand’s only Playwrights’ Agency and Advisory service, has just released the New Zealand play licensing figures for 2011 and the news is good.

More people are reading, studying, producing, and paying to see NZ works on stage than ever before in Playmarket’s 39-year history. Read More »

NZ Body Painting Festival

nzbaa — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:46 +1300

The Great Lake Centre, Taupo in the Events Capital was brought to life on Sunday 29th, anniversary weekend with the 3rd NZ Body Painting Festival, a major international drawcard with out-of-this-world creatures and incredible creations themed to Become A Legend. Read More »

11th NZ Comedy Guild Awards

The Big Idea Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:57:18 +1300

11th Annual NZ Comedy Guild Awards, held on 26 January, celebrated another strong year for the industry. The awards are voted on by performers in the NZ comedy circuit making it one of the most popular evenings for the industry.

And the winners are...

2011 BEST NEWCOMER (RAW COMEDIAN)

The best new face to come on the scene in the last 12 months Read More »

Maori visual artists residency

The Big Idea Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:16:10 +1300

Maori carvers, printmakers, painters and fibre artists are invited to apply for the 2012 Toi Sqwigwialtxw artist’s residency in Washington, United States of America. Read More »

Grants to improve access to arts

Arts Access — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:24:26 +1300

Arts organisations and venues will become more accessible this year, thanks to eleven grants provided by Creative New Zealand for projects ranging from sign language interpretations and audio described performances to music workshops and concerts for disabled children and young adults, and improved physical access. Read More »

The Italian Job

The Big Idea Editor — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:53:39 +1300

University of Waikato composers David Griffiths and Michael Williams will represent Oceania at the international Volcanic Lakes Festival in Italy this February, the only performers from the South Pacific. Read More »

Stronge Buskers Festival

The Big Idea Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:23:25 +1300

As the curtain falls on the 19th Stronger Christchurch World Buskers Festival organisers estimate the event has brought smiles and laughter to more than 300,000 people over the past 11 days. Read More »

The gift of quilting

Arts Access — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:30:31 +1300

The eight women meet in the car park at Arohata Prison in the Wellington suburb of Tawa. Carrying bags filled with fabric, they head to the prison gates ready for another quilting session with the women inside. Read More »

Muppets take McKenzie to Oscars

The Big Idea Editor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:06:11 +1300

New Zealander Bret McKenzie has been nominated for an Oscar for his Man or Muppet song. McKenzie was the music director and composed a number of songs for The Muppets film. Read More »

Consortium wins Frankfurt Book Fair pavilion contract

The Big Idea Editor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:34:14 +1300

Award-winning architectural practice Patterson Associates will lead some of this country’s most creative content developers to deliver New Zealand’s pavilion at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair, New Zealand’s Frankfurt Book Fair project director Tanea Heke announced today. Read More »

Young violinist wins trip to London

The Big Idea Editor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:24:50 +1300

This year’s winner of The Elman Poole Music Scholarship is Minsi Yang, a highly talented young musician currently based in Auckland. Read More »

Going Digital Assistance Package

The Big Idea Editor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:37 +1300

Media Statement: Minister of Broadcasting

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss today announced details of the Government’s Going Digital Targeted Assistance Package. Read More »

Sargeson Writers in Residence

BuddleFindlay — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:31:29 +1300

Two leading New Zealand fiction writers have been announced as the recipients of the annual Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship for 2012.

The two new fellows, David Lyndon Brown and Anna Taylor, will each spend five months in residence at the Sargeson Centre in central Auckland and receive a $20,000 grant. Read More »

White Fungus at MoMA

whitefungus — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:38:59 +1300

Art magazine White Fungus will be part of the exhibition Millennium Magazines at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Read More »

SDGNZ on NZOA

The Big Idea Editor — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:22:07 +1300

Media Release: Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand (SDGNZ)

A healthy democracy needs a free and open broadcasting environment. Read More »

NZ shorts compete in Berlin

NZ Film Commission — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:56:02 +1300

The 62nd Berlin International Film Festival has invited three NZ short films to compete in its prestigious line up. They include the hot new property from Porirua, Lambs.

Alongside Lambs, directed by Sam Kelly, will be Meathead, directed by Sam Holst and Snow In Paradise directed by Justine Simei-Barton and Nikki Si’ulepa. Read More »

Tintin wins Golden Globe

The Big Idea Editor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:48:23 +1300

The Adventures of Tintin has won the Best Animated Feature Film award at the Golden Globes.

The Sir Peter Jackson produced film won against animated features Rango, Puss In Boots and Cars 2. Read More »

Berlin premiere for Two Little Boys

NZ Film Commission — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:46:03 +1300

Robert Sarkies’ latest feature film, Two Little Boys, has been selected in competition at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, which will run for its 62nd year through February 9th – 19th this year. Read More »

Hotere receives NZ's top honour

The Big Idea Editor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:56:46 +1300

Ralph Hotere (Te Aupouri) has been awarded the highest honour in the New Year 2012 New Zealand Honours. Hotere, one of New Zealand’s most important contemporary artists, was made a Member of the Order of New Zealand for services to New Zealand. Read More »

Screenwriters off to Killer Films

Scripttoscreen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:18:09 +1300

Script to Screen is delighted to announce Dianna Fuemana has been awarded the 2012 US Screenwriting Internship Scholarship. Furthermore, Catherine Bisley has been awarded a special second scholarship, securing both writers sought after placements at Killer Films, New York. Read More »

Nga Mahi Toi

The Big Idea — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:47:06 +1300

To honour Te Aria Nui, the second part of our name, those of us who are intimately involved in delivering The Big Idea, ART Venture and TBI Assist collectively go by the name of Nga Mahi Toi (the artworkers). Even we’re surprised to know that this year there were 18 creative arts professionals in this cluster. Read More »

New Sydney residency for Christchurch artists

Art and Industry Biennial Trust — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:58:46 +1300

A new residency for Canterbury-based professional visual artists to spend twelve weeks at the renowned Artspace Visual Arts Centre in Sydney was launched today in Christchurch.

The inaugural SCAPE Christchurch /Artspace Sydney residency will take place from August to November 2012. Read More »

New NZ Festival Artistic Director

NZIAF — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:00:40 +1300

New Zealand-born Shelagh Magadza will be the new Artistic Director of the New Zealand International Arts Festival for 2014 and beyond. Read More »

2013 Venice Biennale

Creative New Zealand — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:45:10 +1300

Massey University’s Head of Fine Arts, Heather Galbraith will be deputy commissioner for New Zealand’s presentation at the 2013 Venice Biennale, and Christchurch Art Gallery Senior Curator, Justin Paton will be curator. Read More »

NZ books receive $1 m boost for 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair

The Big Idea Editor — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:26:48 +1300

The Publishing Association of New Zealand (PANZ) and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage today announced funding of $1 million for New Zealand writers and their publishers to ensure they are able to make the most of New Zealand’s Guest of Honour role at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair. Read More »

Lantern Celebration - opening of Kim Merry Gates

The Big Idea Editor — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:22:41 +1300

This year’s Lantern Celebration on December 17 will see the event’s long time organiser commemorated, with the opening of the Kim Merry gateway. Read More »

Irish drama scoops scriptwriting prize

VictoriaUniversity — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:36:50 +1300

A relationship drama set in early 1990s Dublin, has won a Victoria University of Wellington student the annual David Carson-Parker Embassy Prize in Scriptwriting.

Barbara Burke’s script Orla is a story that interweaves pseudo-family relationships with some of the societal pressures of the time. Read More »

Wellington Council Arts and Culture Strategy

Wellington City Council — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:59:44 +1300

Wellington City Council’s Arts and Culture Strategy – the plan to maintain and reinvigorate the Capital’s art scene – was unanimously signed off by Councillors at the Strategy and Policy Committee meeting on December 8.

The strategy received huge support among the arts community and other submitters. Read More »

Court Theatre opening

The Big Idea Editor — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:37:25 +1300

The public opening of the new Court Theatre on Saturday 10 December is a vital step towards restoring the cultural life of the people of Christchurch, says Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.

“The drive and commitment of Felicity Price and the trustees, and the Court Theatre team led by Philip Aldridge has been extraordinary and inspiring,” Mr Wainwright said. Read More »

The Court Gala Opening

Thecourt — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:06:09 +1300

Four hundred invited guests celebrated the official opening of The Court Theatre at a black tie event last night.

After February's earthquake, The Court could no longer operate from The Arts Centre and a new venue was located in Addington in the middle of the year. Read More »