Arts

Today is the shortest day, but for some night time is more magical than daylight. The solstice is being marked with a festival called Loemis with ancient songs from Aurora Four, and a rather large… Audio

What started as a group of mates keen for an adventured, morphed into a quest to protect one of North America's last untouched wildernesses. New Zealander's Simon Lucas and Scott Sinton are the… Audio, Gallery

The Christchurch Cathedral Choir's history goes back to 1881, and it's told in a new book. Peter Simpson, has researched and written Singing to God - and he's well qualified, having sung in the… Audio, Gallery

Some streets have their own personality - Beale Street in Memphis, Bourbon Street in New Orleans - and in Welllington, that haven of Bohemians, Aro Street. A mystery about mathematics, labyrinths… Audio

Choreographer Natalie Maria Clark unwraps the pitfalls of growing up in the digital age in a new dance theatre show at Q Theatre. Sonia Sly has more... Audio

Skull Island in the Peter Jackson movie King Kong was a pretty daunting location. Even more daunting was the fact that it's not real. Much of it was the work of Samoan-born concept designer at Weta… Audio, Gallery

A giant, articulated steel Weta will represent New Zealand at one of the world's biggest outdoor art installation events. For 30 years, at the Burning Man, hundreds of artists from around the world… Audio, Gallery

Graham Sheffield has shaken things up at the British Council, since taking up the job of Arts Director five years ago.He's rebuilt and expanded the British Council's international arts programme which… Audio

Caricaturist Jeff Bell says the art form can be seen as cruel, but it's actually about finding the essence of a person.He fell in love with political caricature after discovering New Zealand's Murray… Audio, Gallery

Beatriz Bustos-Oyanedel is the curator of Space To Dream - an exhibition showcasing the work of 41 South American artists. She joins Wallace to explain the importance and history of political artwork… Audio

Adriane Ohanesian is 2nd prize winner of the Contemporary Issues category in the World Press Photo Exhibition, which features the best photojournalism from around the globe in 2015. She presented a… Audio

Tearepa Kahi, of Ngati Paoa and Tainui descent, is a filmmaker best known for his 2013 feature, Mt Zion. His new film, Poi E: The Story of Our Song is his new documentary and in it he tells how… Video, Audio, Gallery

Stella Duffy is a New Zealand writer and theatre-maker based in London. She has just been awarded an OBE for her services to the arts and she is also writing a new Ngaio Marsh novel, based on four… Audio

Richard Swainson reviews affecting Japanese drama Our Little Sister, and romantic book adaptation Me Before You. Audio

Fortune Theatre's new Artistic Director Jonathan Hendry's debut production as director in Dunedin is Over the River and Through the Woods by Joe DiPietro.The play ran on Broadway for over 200… Audio

The army corporal who shot battles on a go-pro in Afghanstan has had the premiere of his documentary in Gore last night. Audio

Cartoonist, writer, illustrator Adrian Kinnaird on 'Island to Island: A Graphic Exchange between Taiwan & New Zealand' Audio

The CEO of the New Zealand Film Commission talks about a busy year, "something for everyone" - and his occasionally prickly relationship with the independent sector. Audio

Jodie Foster directs, George Clooney and Julia Roberts star in a film that blends a hostage drama with a media satire. Audio