People enjoy the 2023 Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Katie Cox
People enjoy the 2023 Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Katie Cox
The Tauranga Arts Festival is to become an annual event.
Festival general manager Sarah Cotter said moving the event from a biennial to an annual festival would cement it – and Tauranga – on the calendars of locals and visitors, a press release from the festival’s organisers said.
“Asthe region’s only flagship arts festival, we recognise the need to become more prominent, accessible and viable for decades to come,” Cotter said.
The festival has financial support from Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.
Festival chairwoman Kathryn Lellman said the trust was excited to be able to plan ahead with Creative NZ backing through to December 31, 2026.
“An annual festival provides a more regular opportunity to gather people together, tell stories, bring joy and create thought-provoking opportunities.
Sarah Cotter, general manager of the Tauranga Arts Festival (left), and Megan Brown, the artistic director.
“We are committed to ensuring our festival grows with our city in terms of audience and programming,” she said.
Planning for this year’s festival involves a “fresh and invigorated” approach driven by two key people, Cotter, formerly with Tauranga City Council in the events development arena, and Megan Brown, who has come on board as artistic director, fresh from the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust.
The two recognise Tauranga has a “budding and burgeoning” art scene.
In preparation for the October 23 to November 2 festival, they are taking stock of what should be incorporated to best benefit the creative pulse of Tauranga Moana in 2025.
“There’s been a population shift over the last decade – many people have relocated here after living abroad or in big cities with easy access to arts and culture,“ Cotter said.
“We aim to engage that demographic with an exciting programme every year.
“Our festival has a role to play in, ultimately, making Tauranga a better place to live, after all, art and performance are vital for people’s wellbeing.”
Brown said the programming for this year’s festival would incorporate plenty to appeal to all age groups and to Tauranga’s diverse and multicultural community.
“The central theme is the concept of ‘us’ and we can’t wait to share that with the community and visitors.”
The public can expect fresh-looking branding and a revamped website that ensures finding events and buying tickets are as clear as possible.
Tickets to events will be available from August 14, when the festival will be launched at Baycourt and the line-up of acts revealed.
There is going to be an early sneak peek of a festival favourite artist announced this month.
