Dunedin Arts Festival

17/07/2025

If you're looking for your theatre hit next week, we recommend this one. Lizzie is an amazing performer (and this is her story), plus the team behind this are all incredible - plus it's in a funky new space!

Lizzie Tollemache's dream of an all inclusive space is coming true in Dunedin this month.

15/07/2025

It's been a bit chilly lately, so here're some stats from this year's festival to warm you up!
March & April's Dunedin Arts Festival delivered a bold and inclusive celebration of creativity, connection, and place. Spanning twelve days, the Festival attracted approximately 20,000 attendees, showcasing a diverse mix of local, national, and international talent.

A quick snapshot of attendance:
94 total performances
23 sold out performances
252 Artists involved
6,489 Tickets allocated
13,275 attendances at Free and schools shows
19,764 Total attendances
75% of our audience rated us an 8/10 or higher
96% of people agree that the Festival makes Dunedin a better place to be
People averaged just over two events each, which equates to approximately just under 10,000 unique attendances
23% of our audience were attending for the first time
$166.83 was the average spend per attendance (dinner, parking, babysitters, etc.). This means the Festival brought $4 million into the Dunedin economy.

So once again thank you for your support!

Planning for the 2027 Dunedin Arts Festival has commenced, with a renewed focus on co-creation with local organisations, digital innovation, and regional touring. But we may have a few treats for you between now and then.

A couple of treats we'd love to share with you are...

THE NEUROSPICE GIRLS

Featuring true stories, a diagnosis gameshow, shame spirals, unbridled 90s nostalgia, and the mystery of what exactly to do with the parts of yourself that you hide and pray nobody notices!! Join the other high-masking weirdos as we zig-ah-zig-ah our way out of existential crisis into hope...

Lizzie has been part of the Dunedin Arts Festival before, and is one of the country's best-known performers, and this is her story - unfiltered!

THE NEUROSPICE GIRLS
by Lizzie Tollemache
premiere production of an original NZ play!

23-27 July, 2025
24 Filleul St

Presented by Hic Sunt Dracones Productions

Click the link below for tickets.

Also...

At the World's Edge Festival returns this October, marking its fifth anniversary with a programme that explores the complex relationship between music and nature.

This year’s line-up brings some of Aotearoa’s most acclaimed chamber musicians to Central Otago and the Southern Lakes, including pianist Michael Houstoun, cellist James Bush, and Composer in Residence John Psathas. They are joined by a cast of renowned international artists that features UK violinist Anthony Marwood, US violist Yura Lee and Australian harpsichordist, Erin Helyard.

Over seven ticketed performances and a series of free events, AWE features celebrated chamber works, lesser-known pieces, and bold new compositions that highlight the many ways composers engage with nature.

At the World’s Edge Festival runs from 4–12 October 2025, with performances in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell and Bannockburn.

Click here for more info and tickets: https://mailchi.mp/artsfestivaldunedin/adparnassumotepotidance-17989642

27/06/2025

Science, Mid-Winter and more - https://mailchi.mp/artsfestivaldunedin/adparnassumotepotidance-17989445
The New Zealand International Science Festival (NZISF) kicks off tomorrow and runs all the way through until the 6th July!
There are so many more things to see and do, and the full programme can be found here: https://scifest.org.nz/programme
But also, the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival starts tonight!
Transforming First Church and surrounding grounds into a luminous celebration of light and imagination.
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/15365

26/06/2025

Crowd gathering early for Marlon Williams at

08/05/2025

Congratulations to the Upu team who just opened at the Sydney Opera House and have a SOLD OUT season! It was a pleasure having you here in Ōtepoti, and we know the Australians will just love the show as much as we did here!

02/05/2025

Thank you to the amazing team at Strawberry who looked after all of our sound and AV needs throughout the festival.
From Kate Bush to Canadian chaos, taonga puoro to tambourine and violins to virtually anything else - you were there. Thanks!

01/05/2025

Thank you to longtime partner Southern Lights & Services Ltd, who once again provided all the lighting for this year's Festival. Where would we be without you? Sitting in the dark, more than likely! Thanks!

01/05/2025

Thanks to OAR FM Dunedin - Community Access Media and all the support you gave us this festival. Lots of great interviews, that really helped spread the word. You guys rock!

Discover podcasts and radio shows made by the people of Ōtepoti Dunedin and Otago, reflecting the diversity of our communities.

01/05/2025

Thank you to Performing Arts Network NZ - PANNZ, who assisted us with delivering three different shows this festival - SPEED IS EMOTIONAL, UPU and SUITCASE SHOW. Plus COMMENTARY OF DREAMING pitched at the annual PANNZ Arts Market.
All in all, a great organisation to partner with!

29/04/2025

https://mailchi.mp/artsfestivaldunedin/adparnassumotepotidance-17988420
The festival may have finished, but the dance still goes on!

Good Company Arts' internationally award-winning dance film Ad Parnassum — Purapurawhetū, is on until the 4th of May at Tūhura Otago Museum's planetarium.
Speaking of the dance still going on...
Dance Ōtepoti's International Dance Day Celebrations are back for 2025!
For two days this weekend, the central city will be buzzing with FREE performances, workshops, talks, and Absolute Beginner classes.
Click the link to read more!

29/04/2025

Thank you to BRONZE SPONSOR Grand Casino and your support. Unfortunately, the show that they had sponsored, 'Alma Who?' had to be cancelled as the performer was unable to leave Austria due to a medical emergency. But their banner still flew at 'The Sea Inside Her' exhibition and we're very grateful for their support!