Danielle’s top seven arty events of 2017
By HGB , Jan 21 2017
To me there is nothing better than spending a weekend at an arts festival, combining my love of arts and design with my appetite for events, travel and meeting likeminded people.
We’re rather spoilt for choice in New Zealand, with a diverse range of festivals bringing together our country’s best and brightest talents. I love filling my bucket with the knowledge, ideas and conversations on offer at these events, using it to spur me in my work as creative designer at HGB.
Here’s a list of my top seven arty events for 2017.
Semi Permanent has a great reputation within the creative industry. As a creator myself I am always striving to keep learning and provoking the possibilities of new ideas, so this event is a must-attend for me.
Semi Permanent encourages “sharing, real thought, process, emotion and insight – with no bullshit.” The Auckland event is a collision of ideas, conversations and creativity, connecting New Zealanders with a world of design thinking.
Semi-Permanent is for designers, creatives, creators, doers and disrupters from across all disciplines.
Details: 11-12 August, Auckland. Visit Semi Permanent’s website.
I have always loved fashion and have gone to New Zealand Fashion week in Auckland for a few years now. Each year is completely different and I am so excited to go again this year.
New Zealand’s Fashion is such a key event for the New Zealand fashion and beauty Industry. It’s an important platform for local and international designers to showcase their Collections and brands.
Details: Monday 28 August – Sunday 3 September, with a range of other satellite events and offsite shows around the city, before and during this time. Visit New Zealand Fashion Week’s website.
3. Luminate Festival, Golden Bay
February is known as one of New Zealand’s warmest months, and what better way to spend a weekend than in the sun, soaking up live music, visual performing arts, knowledge-sharing and eco initiatives?
Luminate is a festival of music, arts, culture, inspiration and transformation, showcasing local and international talent. Workshops are also on offer including permaculture, yoga, crafts and performing arts.
Details: 1-8 February, Canaan Downs, Pikikirunga, Golden Bay. Visit the Luminate Festival website.
4. WOMAD – World of music, Art and Dance
WOMAD celebrates the world’s many forms of music, art and dance. This year marks the 13th anniversary for the festival, held in New Plymouth.
Artists from all over the world attend this internationally established festival. WOMAD is family-oriented, diverse and active.
Details: 17-19 March, TSB Bowl of Brooklands, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. Visit the WOMAD website.
5. WOW – World of Wearable Art Awards Show
The World of Wearable Arts awards show brings people together from all over the world, to showcase and appreciate creativity at its finest. WOW portrays how ideas can come to life, by giving designers the opportunity to be innovative, original and to push the boundaries of creativity.
Using the human body as a blank canvas, designers create works of wearable art to be exhibited in the annual awards show. Designs are brought to life in this spectacular stage performance – a world where theatre, fashion and art collide. WOW gives entrants freedom of expression without the constraints of commercialism. It encourages lateral, original thinking and provides the opportunity to be innovative and inventive.
Why do I want to go? Because annually people from all over world come together to showcase and appreciate creativity at its finest. WOW portrays how ideas can come to life, by giving designers the opportunity to be innovative, original and to push the boundaries of creativity.
Details: 21 September – 8 October, TSB Bank Arena, Queens Warf, Wellington. Visit the WOW website.
The New Zealand Art Show, held in Wellington, is New Zealand’s largest affordable art exhibition.
Living in Wellington for four years really pushed my creativity to blossom. I’d love to attend this event as it would be fantastic to view thousands of artworks in New Zealand’s creative capital.
Thousands of pieces of art will be on display under one roof, with price tags ranging from $3,000 to $13,000.
Details: 2-5 June, Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Visit the New Zealand Art Show website.
7. Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival
Hearing ‘arts’ and ‘festival’ in the same sentence is enough to capture my interest, added to that the opportunity to spend a weekend at the beautiful Hamilton Gardens.
This year marks the 18th annual Hamilton Gardens’ Arts Festival, boasting 64 events over 10 days. Events include comedy, music, theatre, film and visual arts/dance. Best of all, the event is free but tickets are required due to venue capacity.
Details: 17-26 February, Hamilton Gardens. Visit the Gardens’ festival website.