Renee Liang

Renee Liang writes from the Emerging Pacific Leader’s Forum in Fiji, where Cyclone Tomas has just passed them by. Renee says what makes a good leader seems to be the same thing that pulls people together during a disaster, a deep sense of humanity.

“Cyclone Tomas as a unifying force?  Strange concept.  But what it demonstrates is the power of human relationships.”

Renee Liang asks composer Andrew Correa about the value of taking on big community projects, the secrets of successful collaboration and about his latest project, People In Harmony, as part of Race Relations Day on March 21.

Renee Liang discusses the problems and considerations in portraying stories from another culture and talks to 2009 SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year, Zia Mandviwalla.

What is the place of migrant stories in our literature?  Back from 'holiday', Renee interviews Croatian-Kiwi playwright Donna Banicevich Gera and finds some answers - and a lot of energy.

As she looks back over her busy year, Renee Liang ponders the relative merits of saying 'yes' and 'no'.

Renee Liang discusses how poetry and mythology intertwine in many cultures and interviews Tusiata Avia, a Samoan-Palagi poet, about her latest book Bloodclot.

For her latest Cultural Storytellers interview, Renee Liang caught up with Wellington artist Kerry Ann Lee in China.

Lee is the artist-in-residence at Island6, Shanghai, as part of the Wellington Asia Residency Exchange.

Renee Liang considers the contrast, convergence and collision of cultures while traveling in China. 

It's also the subject for her latest Cultural Storytellers interview with poet Doug Poole and artist Penny Howard, who talk about their collaboration, an exhibition and book called Ataarangi Whenua.

Cultural Storytellers: This week Renee Liang talks to award-winning Kiwi-Zimbabwean playwright Stanley Makuwe, and Aussie playwright and festival director Alex Broun.

Renee Liang muses about her experience as a first-time director and talks to Suzanne Ritzenhoff about Q Theatre and the Auckland Performing Arts Forum.

Fijian New Zealand filmmaker and playwright Toa Fraser has been awarded this year’s three month Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency at the University of Hawai‘i.

A few days into his residency, Toa talks to Renee Liang about scriptwriting, stories and the importance of a good breakfast.

Nicola Kawana is an actor, producer, mother and the inaugural director of Ngati, a new Maori theatre company based in Auckland.  Renee Liang catches up with Kawana, as part of the Cultural Storytellers series on The Big Idea.

Renee Liang talks to Sananda Chatterjee about Indian Theatre group Prayas, what makes cultural theatre successful and the importance of baby steps.

Renee Liang talks to Chris Tse, winner of the NZ Chinese Association Short Story Competition, about his work.

Renee Liang muses about the meaning of Bananas and the significance of the Banana Conference, an event which encourages dialogue between local Chinese and the wider community. She talks to writers Liu Shueng Wong and Alison Wong about the ideas behind such an event.

Renee Liang muses on the nature of Poetry Slams and interviews international documentary maker Jessica Mariglio. "Poetry is needed for the same reasons language is needed; for communication and survival."

Renee Liang interviews NZ Poet Laureate, Michele Leggott. She concludes her tenure at the end of this month. One of her last tasks will be helping to select her successor.

Renee Liang shares some of her lessons learned from producing a play, including depending on the kindness of strangers. She garners further insights from Frith Walker, producer at Silo Theatre and one of the ‘strangers’ who helped on her journey through the enchanted forest of theatre producing.

Renee Liang talks about the power of poetry, from the aphrodisiac effect of poems written on glowing lanterns during Chinese ‘Valentine’s Day’, to one of the enduring images of this year’s Auckland Writers and Readers Festival. "A bunch of older women joyfully popping balloons to get at the poetry inside."

I’ve been involved with The Auckland Writer’s and Reader’s festival for the last three years now, as a volunteer, and lately, also as an MC for the Poetry evening. It’s a great way to get under the skin of a big literary festival.