Artists take their talent to the world

A major push to get our artists out into the world and noticed is about to start. Aside from the Prague Quadrennial, these are some of the New Zealand artists who'll be showing off the the creative talent unique to us:

* Tihei Mauri Ora! Kennedy Centre, Washington: world premiere of new work by composer Christopher Marshall, performed by the Washington Men's Camerata. May 30.

* Spacific, Fabric, London: Live performance and DJ mega-fest showcasing vast range of hip young New Zealand musicians, from Nathan Haines to Stinky Jim to Fat Freddy's Drop and many more. June 5.

* The 50th Venice Biennale: Michael Stevenson represents NZ, with his installation This is the Trekka, a complex meditation on the economics surrounding the only New Zealand-made automobile, linked with the Moniac, an innovative economic computer designed in 1949. June 12-November 2.

* Kiwa exhibition, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver: a display of work by more than 20 senior Maori artists in a dealer gallery dedicated to Inuit and Northwest Coast art. It has an international client list of 2000 collectors, all of whom will receive a Kiwa catalogue. September 20-October 20.

* Lord of the Rings goes international: opening at the Science Museum in London on September 16, and on to Boston, Singapore, Sydney.

* Kahurangi New Zealand Maori Dance Theatre Trust: tours Malaysia September 3-30, then on to India for a cultural exchange with the Naga tribes in the northeast and performances at the Apni Dharati-Our Earth cultural festival in Panchgani.

* Te Vaka European tour: we keep saying it - world famous but not so well-known here, the contemporary Pacific band tours June 14-August 25.

* The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Japan: gives the opening concert in the International Performing Arts Festival in Osaka, with a programme that includes Lilburn's Aotearoa Overture. October.

* Playing Burton: Ray Henwood's spine-tingling reinvention of the actor Richard Burton goes to Melbourne after last December's rave-review season in Sydney. June 10-15.

* New Zealanders at the Globe: in July, 20-strong Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ Young Shakespeare Company spends 10 days at the Globe in London for a course culminating in performances, workshops and more shows at Stratford-Upon-Avon. In August and September, Robyn Malcolm and Jonathan Hendry with be artistic residents at the Globe, leading to a performance.