Tauranga's new Arts Festival director's buzzing: 'bring it on'

Ria Hall - the new Tauranga Arts Festival director. Photo / George Novak

Sandra Conchie talked to the Tauranga Arts Festival's new director who shared her vision for taking the biennial event to the next level.

''I'm a bit scared, but bring it on."

Those are the words acclaimed award-winning singer and songwriter Ria Hall uses to describe her ''dream'' role as the new director for the Tauranga Arts Festival.

A passionate supporter of the performing arts Hall says the position had never been on her radar. But after interning at the last event and being an ambassador in 2017 she decided to throw her hat in the ring when the job came up.

Hall paid credit to her predecessor Jo Bond who would stay on as a consultant and help her learn the ropes.

''When the opportunity presented itself after Jo chose to step down I decided to go for it.

"It's an incredible opportunity, why wouldn't you?".

"Nothing excites me more than the realm of possibility that this role offers...The possibilities are just endless and that's what I love about it."

Attracting new and diverse audiences, "telling our own stories" and enticing more sponsors will be a major focus for Hall who says those components are vital to the festival's future success.

Hall says for the festival to flourish and be sustainable, it also needed new and more diverse audiences and participants and more sponsors to be part of the fabric of the festival.

"We have incredible talent and wonderful creativity in this city, including many world-class performers, but often that is not as visible as it should be. I want to change that."

Choir Master Ria Hall at the launch of the 2019 Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / File

"Not only do we need to attract more international acts, but we need to hear our own voices and tell our own stories," she says.

"I am also keen to encourage more of our Tangata Whenua, including more of our iwi leaders to get involved in the festival, including from my own iwi.

"The performing arts is often under-rated in terms of the power it has to change and enrich our lives, and it's something I'm passionate about continuing to promote."

Hall says the festival programme also needed to more accessible to audiences and she was keen to use local marae as venue spaces, an idea that she says came from Bond.

"This is a dream I look forward to realising for Tauranga Moana.''

Now the talented multi-award-winning artist who was also a New Zealand Music Commission board member was looking forward to getting stuck in.

Of Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāti Pukenga descent, Hall, who has performed nationally and internationally is also the first Māori wahine to take on the role.

On the flipside Hall's third album Manawa Were which she co-wrote and produced with another immense Kiwi talent Laughton Kora will be released online including on Spotify on February 28.

Hall said the album, a mix of classic reggae and roots, explains her "view of the world" particularly after becoming a mother - her son Te Rongotoa is nine-and-half months old.

Escape! Festival is the first event on Hall's full calendar this year - the festival of ideas and conversation takes place at Baycourt from May 29 to June 1.

Hall said the programme line-up was still being finalised.