Papaioea Festival of the Arts full programme announced

Singer/songwriter Julia Deans will perform an intimate solo show in the heart of the city at festival venue The Garden in Te Marae o Hine. Photo / File

The inaugural Papaioea Festival of the Arts in February will feature more than 40 performances and projects, including 15 new and evolving works.

The celebration of performance, music, writing, ideas and art will run from February 17 to 20 in Palmerston North.

Highlights include What is a Samoan?, a new work led by artists Tofiga Fepulea'i and James Nokise with community involvement, and Garage Party, with the Modern Māori Quartet presenting their take on the quintessential Kiwi garage party.

Singer/songwriter Julia Deans will perform an intimate solo show in the heart of the city at festival venue The Garden in Te Marae o Hine.

Boxing's biggest baddie Fraser Hooper will challenge all comers in a three-round bout of pure comedy carnage, while Lost Letter Office is a love letter to handwritten letters produced by Capital E.

"In developing the festival we have been thinking 'hyper-local'; how can we produce a world-class event - an event that also has as many local people, local faces, local content and local stories as possible?" artistic director Kane Forbes says.

The festival has been made possible by funding from key partner, the Palmerston North City Council.

Councillor Rachel Bowen says there is a real appetite "for something new, something different, something grassroots, something that plays to our strengths, something that showcases our talents".

Bowen, chairwoman of the council's Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee, says the festival will "showcase how we work together".

Festival passes and the full festival programme can be found at www.papaioeafestival.com.