Lynn Freeman

Tauranga may be growing rapidly but its city council has only now established a specific role to support the region's creative sector. James Wilson is the city's first Manager of Arts and Culture… Audio

From millions of items in the Alexander Turnbull Library, curators have chosen just 170 for a new exhibition to celebrate the institution's 100th birthday. It's actually the 101st. The Miharo Wonder… Audio, Gallery

He started small, intricately carving cassette tapes and lightbulbs from pounamu. But now Wellington-based sculptor Joe Sheehan works on big-scale projects that really take over a space. He's working… Audio, Gallery

Today marks the start of an ambitious 9.9 million dollar fund raising campaign for a new purpose built home for Te Uaka Lyttleton Museum. The former building opened in 1969, thanks to the efforts of… Audio, Gallery

A fearless 14-year-old girl who lives in a bleak part of a place called Dog Island is the hero of a new production called Dakota of the White Flats from Red Leap Theatre company. Audio

Innovative and fearless the judges call her - the founder of publishing success story Gecko Press, Julia Marshall, has won the lifetime achievement 2021 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal for her… Audio

New opera company Wellington Opera is set to be a major new company in Wellington's cultural scene, and its formation is being marked this month by the presentation of a rather unusual programme of… Audio

Tauranga Art Gallery's new Director Stephen Cleland has big plans.  Audio

The pulling power of Auckland Art Gallery's current Maori contemporary art exhibition has the judges of New Zealand's first portraiture award for emerging Maori artists hoping it will also be a… Audio

A Very Different World is a new exhibition at Te Tuhi in Auckland promising to offer a much-needed glimmer of hope for the future, while at the same time looking at the unprecedented difficulties we… Audio

Two expat British theatre makers are working with a Kiwi cast on a play that touches on some of the issues of the moment - isolation, exclusion - and the power of kindness.  Audio

Abigail Boyle is looking forward to taking to the stage again with new company Ballet Collective Aotearoa.  Audio

A new ballet company has been formed, Ballet Collective Aotearoa featuring both leading dancers and graduates and students from the New Zealand School of Dance. The company launches with the season… Audio

Four of the world's keenest crime readers came together for a live podcast recently, called Four Critics Four Continents, where they reflected on the best books in the genre for 2020. With the… Audio

Still life paintings hold an enduring appeal for artists and art lovers and that includes Bannockburn artist painter, sculptor and tutor, Megan Huffadine. Her new solo show at Eade Gallery in Clyde in… Audio

The New Zealand film Coming Home in the Dark is having its World Premiere today at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. It's written by Eli Kent and James Ashcroft and James also directs this story of a… Audio

Kiwi, Greer Simpkin, is a leading light in Australia's screen industry, producing acclaimed work for the big and small screens. Greer's held senior roles at the ABC in Australia including Deputy Head… Audio

It's a thirty year partnership in life and on stage that's produced a raft of memorable theatrical productions. Now Niuean/Samoan actor and writer Vela Manusaute's latest play, Tropical Love Birds… Audio

What started out as a creative writing programme for young prisoners at Auckland's Mt Eden Corrections Facility is now spreading around the country's prisons. It's down to the hard work of the young… Audio

An imagined verbal battle between the first ladies of America and France is the premise of a play that's about to have its New Zealand premiere. Prize-winning Irish playwright Nancy Harris pits Sophia… Audio