Bic Runga coming to Hawke's Bay Arts Festival

Bic Runga will play a mixture of crowd favourites and new tracks at the Hawke's Bay Art festival. Photo / Karen Inderbitzen-Waller

Bic Runga is the leading act announced so far for the sixth Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival to be held October 12-26

Festival director Pitsch Leiser is delighted with the line-up for the festival, which will be based at Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts and Events Centre.

"This year the focus is on home grown. With the borders closed we have a fantastic line up local and national performers," he said.

"It makes perfect sense to move the festival from a Spiegeltent to this wonderful asset [Toitoi] that we have right in the heart of town.

"It is by far the best venue in the wider region if not in New Zealand. It is a spectacular place for performers and spectators."

"Sludge pop" exponents Soaked Oats are coming to Hawke's Bay. Photo / Supplied

Musical artists announced this week include Runga, who will perform on October 26 as part of a North Island Tour.

Runga, who has spent lockdown writing songs for a new album due in 2021, will perform new tracks alongside favourites such as Drive and Sway.

Promoters say fans are promised "a musical journey of songs that span her career, including reimagined favourites, rarities, te reo Māori interpretations and new tunes".

Also announced this week are the critically acclaimed Soaked Oats who formed in Dunedin and have recently finished the first wave of recording for their debut album, The band take to the road in October for their Say Hey and Play Some New Ones tour which will see them play the art festival on October 17.

Soaked Oats describe themselves as "indie sludge-pop" and have become known for endearing live performances, which have opened doors to United Kingdom and America tours.