Time to make your lists and check them twice as WOMAD NZ 2022 schedule is released

Scientist Phil Lester is the author of The Vulgar Wasp and Healthy Bee, Sick Bee. Photo / Supplied

It's not just Santa Claus who is making his list and checking it twice right now, Womad 2022 ticket holders are likely to be doing the same, now the 2022 PlayDay Schedule has been released.

With the release of the schedule, ticket holders are now able to fully plan their Womad 2022 festival experience, making sure they don't miss out on their must sees.

A lot of work goes in behind the scenes by festival organiser to minimise schedule clashes and ensure that festival attendees experience the most the festival has to offer, with many artists performing more than once during the festival.

It's not just plenty of great music on offer at the festival of course, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics also get their moments in the spotlight, with OMVs STEAM Lab running throughout the festival, the full line-up of which has now been released.

The 2022 STEAM line-up features experts in their fields on everything from space, gaming, bees, bacteria and kites, as well as maths and art.

Joining the previously announced Dr Siouxsie Wiles MNZM and Dick Frizzell MNZM is Taranaki local artist Morgana Watson of 4Phase Games.

An avid gamer and the creative director for 4Phase Games, Morgana decided to create a Māori role-playing game (RPG) on par with games like Tomb Raider and God of War.

Morgana and her creative team, who are dotted around Aotearoa, are realising that vision, creating a game that hero's Māori culture, myths and legends.

Game players will be dropped into a Māori world based on myths and legends – a fantastical, adventure, combat game that will be entirely in te reo, with English subtitles. Different dialects will be used and there will also be "nods and winks" to various iwi.

Morgana Watson of 4Phase Games will be one of the speakers on OMVs STEAM Lab stage. Photo / Supplied

Peter Lynn and Craig Hansen of Peter Lynn Kites will be sharing their story on the STEAM stage, talking about what happens when science meets art, through their manufacturing of the world's largest kites.

Their kites have seen them travel the world, creating with remarkable ingenuity for the likes of Disney since 1973.

Also featuring in the 2022 STEAM line-up are passionate educator and technologist Frances Valintine CNZM, the first and only female professor at the University of Auckland, Hinke Osinga and scientist Phil Lester, known for his work on bees and wasps.