ESTHER SWIFT
Mussel Inn
Wed 23 Oct | 8pm | 90 min + Interval (15 min)
Likened to Kate Bush, Anna Meredith and Björk, Esther Swift explores ritual, connection, isolation, and the natural world with pedal harp and voice, spanning genres from classical chamber to Scottish folk music. Prolific, bold, innovative – all the way from Scotland for this special performance.
PUKAPUKA TALKS 2024
Various Locations
Thu 24 – Wed 30 Oct | Various times
We’re proud to feature a star-studded line up of 22 of Aotearoa’s most beloved authors and exciting new voices.
MYTHS, MAGIC, FANTASY & TIME TRAVEL
Te Noninga Kumu Motueka Public Library
Thurs 24 Oct | School booking
Elma Turner Library
Fri 25 Oct | School booking
Our 2024 Schools Programme features three stellar storytellers – Lauren Keenan, Rachael King, and Claire Mabey – who share their spellbinding tales (think ‘writers are rock stars’ vibe) and support tamariki to create their own.
NCMA LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
NCMA
Thurs 24 Oct | 12.30pm | 50 min
Midday music delights are back to brighten your lunch hour! First up: Rosemary Galton and Kyoko Takashima.
TUNE UP
Kirby Lane
Thurs 24 Oct | 5pm | 180 min
Come celebrate the future of Aotearoa music right here in Whakatū! Tune Up will again transform Kirby Lane into an outdoor music hub with an amazing line up of rangatahi musicians.
SHEPHERDS REIGN
Deville Music Hub
Thurs 24 Oct
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
Rhythms of the Pacific recreated on thundering toms and traditional pātē paired with huge live performance, Shepherds Reign bring their fierce Polynesian pride to our opening night. Shepherds Reign are a rare presence who demand the world stage.
DEVILLE MUSIC HUB
Deville Music Hub | Thurs 24, Fri 25, Sat 26
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
Featuring true icons of Aotearoa music and the most exciting new talent, the Deville dancefloor is ready for you, music lovers!
ABBY HOWELLS
The Boathouse
Thurs 24 Oct | 8pm | 55 min
Aged 11, Abby wrote a romance set in the Navy in the wake of World War II. Now 33, she returns to this tale of love, loss, nautical trauma and deeply undiagnosed Autism in her hilarious Billy T Award winning comedy show.
HOUSING FOR ALL
Suter Theatre
Fri 25 Oct | 12.30pm | 60 min
From accessible housing design to the tiny house movement, and everything in between, what happens when people step outside the box in housing design and development? Join architect and housing advocate Jade Kake, disability rights advocate, essayist and poet Henrietta Bollinger and local visionary Miriana Stephens, who is leading Te Āwhina Marae’s redevelopment project, in conversation with Min Hall.
OTHERHOOD: CHILDLESS, CHILDFREE & CHILD ADJACENT
Suter Theatre
Fri 25 Oct | 5.30pm | 60 min
In Aotearoa the number of people who will never have children is growing. Kathryn van Beek, one of the Otherhood anthology’s three co-editors, is joined by contributors Iona Winter, Henrietta Bollinger and Lily Duval for a more inclusive conversation about what makes a fulfilling life.
ESTHER SWIFT
NCMA
Fri 25 Oct | 7pm | 90 min + Interval (15 min)
Likened to Kate Bush, Anna Meredith and Björk, Esther Swift explores ritual, connection, isolation, and the natural world with pedal harp and voice, spanning genres from classical chamber to Scottish folk music. Prolific, bold, innovative – all the way from Scotland for this special performance.
THABANI GAPARA
Deville Music Hub
Fri 25 Oct
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
Join acclaimed saxophonist Thabani Gapara and his band in a vibrant celebration of his new album Dzindza (ancestry) which blends traditional African rhythms with contemporary jazz sounds. From original Afro Jazz compositions to reimagined familiar classics, these flamboyant and infectious rhythms will get your feet stomping.
EVOKING THE DIASPORA
Suter Theatre
Sat 26 Oct | 10.30am | 60 min
Multi-generational migrant stories are finding compelling new ways of being told in the capable, creative hands of two of the best debut novelists in Aotearoa, Jade Kake and Saraid de Silva. Both explore belonging and the legacy of intergenerational trauma while mastering a unique way of sharing the diasporic experience. Chaired by Nathan Joe.
MYTHOLOGY & MYSTICAL REALISM
Suter Theatre
Sat 26 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
Rachael King and Lee Murray both evoke ancient mythological creatures from distant shores in their latest novels: the vengeful kelpie and the nine-tailed fox spirit, húli jīng. In this session they will explore how myth not only maketh mystical realism but also elucidates key contemporary challenges. Chaired by Claire Mabey.
TENACIOUS WĀHINE
Suter Theatre
Sat 26 Oct | 3.30pm | 60 min
In her very first festival appearance following the publication of Kataraina, Becky Manawatu discusses the highly anticipated sequel to her bestselling debut novel, Auē, alongside friend and fellow kaituhi Māori Talia Marshall, whose essay collection, Whaea Blue, is one of this year’s most anticipated non-fiction pukapuka. Chaired by Nuki Tākao.
RHOMBUS
Deville Music Hub
Sat 26 Oct
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
Iconic Te Whanganui-a-Tara collective Rhombus are true masters of their unique, distinctively South Pacific sound – spiced with funk, soul, reggae and electronic dub wobbly bass. From 2002 album Bass Player to 2024’s Remixes and Archives Volume 2, the return of Rhombus with Lisa Tomlins & TK Paradza is not to be missed.
BLOODY MINDED
Suter Theatre
Sun 27 Oct | 10.30am | 60 min
RNZ presenter Susie Ferguson recounts her years as a war correspondent while battling endometriosis and discusses her breathtaking memoir on tenacity and self-belief, which shines a light on a health system that isn’t made for us and proves the importance of being loud with our truths. Chaired by Naomi Arnold.
VICTORY POETRY SLAM II
WORKSHOP: Victory Community Centre
Sun 27 Oct | 12.30pm | 120 min | Koha
PERFORMANCE: Victory Boxing
Sun 27 Oct | 5pm | 75 min | PWYC
These folx were so amazing in 2023, we had to bring them back! Join acclaimed artists Sheldon Rua and Talia Stanley for a workshop and/or exclusive live performance from the Victory Boxing ring – bring a poem or just come to listen. With special guest Nathan Joe at the Slam performance.
FLY HERE, FLY THERE, MY BIRD
Suter Theatre
Sun 27 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
Join us to celebrate Patricia Grace’s eighth short story collection, the astonishing Bird Child and Other Stories, as well as her remarkable writing life over almost 50 years. In this intimate kōrero with Becky Manawatu, she will discuss her latest book, her approach to writing and how she has collaborated with her talented whānau.
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES
Suter Theatre
Sun 27 Oct | 3.30pm | 60 min
Conservation advocates Mike Joy and Dave Hansford both know what it’s like to raise their voices, especially when others disregard, or don’t agree, with scientific evidence. They discuss the role storytelling must play in triumphing over commercial and political agendas. Chaired by Debs Martin.
SOUNDS OF THE SANCTUARY
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
Mon 28 Oct | 12pm + 4pm | 80 min
We invite nature lovers and music aficionados alike to immerse themselves in a magical fusion of music and the natural world at the Sanctuary. New Zealand String Quartet presents an unforgettable experience that evokes the beauty of nature and birdsong.
LITTLE GREEK TAVERNA LONG LUNCH
The Boat Shed Cafe
Mon 28 Oct | 12pm | 240 min
Be transported from the Boat Shed Cafe to the Greek island of Naxos in this special opportunity to savour some of the dishes featured in what has been described as the ‘most delicious of novels’, The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna, featuring Whakatū Nelson’s very own bestselling author and restauranteur Erin Palmisano. Chaired by Nicola Galloway.
MURIWAI
NCMA
Tues 29 Oct | 7pm | 90 min (incl. Interval)
Award-winning musicians and collaborators Ariana Tikao (Kāi Tahu) and Bob Bickerton have joined forces to create Muriwai. A confluence of two rivers, their music merges Māori and Celtic musical traditions through Celtic harp, vocals, and taonga puoro.
NOW YOU KNOW HER NAME
Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre
Tues 29 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
In a world first, on the day the global sales embargo ends, hear Jacqueline Bublitz talk about her new novel, Leave the Girls Behind, the dazzling follow-up to her 2022 Ngaio Marsh Award–wining debut novel, Before You Knew My Name. Chaired by Susie Ferguson.
ELDRITCH ECHOES: A CINEMATIC SOUNDSCAPE
INSTALLATION OPEN: 18A
Tues 29 + Wed 30 Oct | 5pm | 60 min | Koha
PERFORMANCE: 18A
Thurs 31 Oct | 9pm | 90 min | PWYC
Piezo transducers wired to locally found objects, augmented electronica and real-time projection of ghostly hints of underlying sound coalesce in a series of sculptural instruments. From the creators of Piki Mai, see a new multimedia work develop across two days or join for the final performance.
UNSETTLED
Te Noninga Kumu Motueka Public Library
Tues 29 Oct | 6pm | 60 min
Cristina Sanders and Lauren Keenan are two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s preeminent historical fiction writers. Journey back in time with them to experience life through the eyes of those who history books have, to date, largely neglected. Chaired by Sylvan Thomson.
PLOTTING HISTORICAL FICTION WORKSHOP
Elma Turner Library
Wed 30 Oct | 1pm | 120 min
Cristina Sanders, author of Mrs Jewell and the Wreck of the General Grant (shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize in 2023) and her latest book Okiwi Brown, leads this workshop on how to outline a historical fiction story and make a start on writing it.
COCKTAILS & COOKING TALES
Kismet
Wed 30 Oct | 5.30pm | 60 min
MasterChef NZ 2022 winner Sam Low will discuss his bestselling cookbook, Modern Chinese, during this cooking demo and kōrero with his friend, celebrated poet and playwright Nathan Joe. Enjoy Kismet’s special matching cocktail/mocktail suggestions followed by a chance to taste Sam’s concoction.
COUCH STORIES
NCMA
Wed 30 Oct | 7pm | 90 min
True stories told live without pictures or notes: Couch Stories returns with the much-loved couch and all new stories. This year, we’re thrilled to host the 20th edition of this popular event, with tales centred around the theme: Time.
RHYS MATHEWSON
Te Noninga Kumu Motueka Public Libary
Wed 30 Oct | 7.30pm | 75 min
The Boathouse
Thurs 31 Oct | 8pm | 75 min
From starting to relapse after five years of sobriety to today, do not miss this “…sharp, smart, vulnerable, and surprisingly moving work of comedy” about mistakes, addiction, compassion and how to live. Rhys Mathewson (7 Days) is unflinchingly honest and side-splittingly funny.
NCMA LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
NCMA
Thurs 31 Oct | 12.30pm | 50 min
Midday music delights are back to brighten your lunch hour! This week, enjoy a stunning hour with pianist Ya-Ting Liou.
HAZ + MILOUX
Deville Music Hub
Thurs 31 Oct
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
The perfect pairing of two boldly creative artists is found in veteran producer Haz Beats (Home Brew) and soul-heavy vocalist Miloux. A striking fusion of jazz, soul and hip hop topped with soaring vocals – expect to be completely enraptured!
DEVILLE MUSIC HUB
Deville Music Hub | Thurs 31 Oct + Sat 2 Nov
Doors Open 8pm | Support Act 8.30pm | Main Act 9.30pm
Featuring true icons of Aotearoa music and the most exciting new talent, the Deville dancefloor is ready for you, music lovers!
THE YOUNG VIRTUOSI
NCMA
Fri 1 Nov | 7.30pm | 100 min (incl. Interval)
South Korean-born Yeyeong Jenny Jin has won many awards, including the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition. 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition winner, Jeonghwan Kim joins Jenny as part of a 10-centre tour for an evening of mesmerising sonata.
STOP MAKING SENSE
Theatre Royal
Sat 2 Nov | 4pm | 88 min
Experience the greatest concert film of all time like never before: Stop Making Sense was shot over three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre in December 1983 and features Talking Heads‘ most memorable songs. Dance floor tickets available!
WERO (CHALLENGE)
Deville Music Hub
Sat 2 Nov
Doors Open 8pm | Main Acts 8.30pm – 1.30am
Join us for an unforgettable night at Wero, a curated club event that honors and celebrates the vibrant contributions of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities within Aotearoa’s electronic music scene. This unique gathering is more than just a club night; it’s a powerful homage to those who have dared to challenge societal norms, push boundaries, and reshape the cultural landscape.
NEILSON SINGS NELSON
Neudorf Vineyards
Sun 3 Nov | 2pm (Doors 12pm) | 90 min + Interval (15 min)
The incredible, award-winning Tami Neilson performs a collection of her favourites from Willie Nelson’s Songbook, while sharing stories of working with the man himself.