Stories
Articles by and for the arts sector in Aotearoa.
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What comes next for theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau? Notes from a sector hui
There's fears that the connective tissue that allows an ecosystem to regenerate is eroding, but the workshop revealed the sector's assets too. -
A decade of dialogues in artist moving image through CIRCUIT
Mark Williams revisits ten years of CIRCUIT’s Artist Cinema Commissions in an excerpt from a beautiful new book. -
Glitz, glam, contradictions, and the news
It's awards season, but are the wheels coming off? -
‘A bit of sizzle, and not a lot of steak’: The Great Big Arts Debate
Six political candidates answered complex, multi-pronged questions and fluffy queries in front of a community that is frustrated, and sick of being under-estimated and under-funded in Ōtautahi on Monday. -
In Lyon and elsewhere, curatorial spotlights are on Oceania
Across film festivals and biennales, NZ artists are tracing histories of colonialism, asserting Indigenous self-determination and holding power to account, raising questions of transparency that land on our doorstep. -
Artist residencies come in all shapes and sizes. How do you pick the one that suits you?
If you’re not searching for prestige and total solitude, and you can’t vanish for long periods of time, there’s plenty of residencies for you. -
The election is looming, so where are the arts?
Plus the week’s news, including City Gallery reopening, new patron passes, and curatorial movements in Wellington. -
Learning from Venice: What happens when early-career practitioners encounter the world?
Angela Bishop reflects on the impact and outcomes of taking eight early-career practitioners to experience the Venice Biennale. -
Luca Tu'avao Walton, the artist who built an IRL career with social media
The illustrator and artist didn’t wait for traditional paths, instead he started making work, posting it at 16, finding the people who resonated with it, and tending to that community. -
Why public funding for NZ’s live music scene needs retuning
The numbers suggest benefits attributable to the Events Attraction Package outweigh the costs, despite MBIE’s advice to the contrary. -
Did CNZ silence staff at the Venice Biennale?
A group armed with OIA documents are asking questions around the legality of staff guidelines at the Venice Biennale, but the documents reveal other shortcomings. -
Should banks be opening their wallets to our arts institutions?
Overseas, art galleries receive funding from major banks, making up for shortfalls of public funding. With budget cuts and struggling local government, ours may need to do the same. -
How are independent presses changing our publishing landscape?
A quietly ambitious wave of small presses is changing what gets made, who gets published, and what ends up on our bookshelves. -
Election manifestos, expanding studios, library contractions, and more
The most exciting things that have happened in the arts this fortnight -
'Closing the pipeline but still expecting water': Development spaces are feeling the pinch
Sam Brooks talks to the directors of four arts development spaces across both form and geography about their vital work, and how they could be better supported. -
'I just want to tell stories': John Broughton, 1947–2026
A cherished leader who helped pave the way for generations of Māori playwrights died last week. -
On performing authentically, and protecting the human behind the art
Where is the line between private and public identity, and how do artists establish healthy lives for ourselves when we share so much? -
Irirangi: The recurring calls of toi Māori
In an excerpt from Te Tuhi's new book, They covered the house in stories: 50 years of exhibiting contemporary art, Karl Chitham asks questions about Māori exhibition-making and representation in our cultural institutions. -
Does the Welsh music scene offer a glimpse of te reo Māori’s future?
The journey of Cymraeg feels familiar and aspirational. It's also supported by policy. -
One year of the Aotearoa Artswire
And one year of your beautiful host, Gabi Lardies -
‘Such a juicy process’: Talia Pua on why she loves devising
The actor, playwright, set designer, director, and creative director is most creative when in a room devising with others. -
Everything we learned at WORD Christchurch 2026
Shanti Mathias explores romantasy, zines, music and stories at WORD Christchurch 2026. -
Aotearoa finally has a national festival of design
Aotearoa's inaugural Festival of Design is set to kick off in Whanganui and Te Papaioea Palmerston North this October.