Art Festival Dunedin Announces Distinguished Patrons at Programme Launch

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa have both been named as patrons of Arts Festival Dunedin. The announcement was made tonight at Arts Festival Dunedin’s 2016 programme launch held at the Regent Theatre.

Festival Director, Nicholas McBryde, says to have patrons of such high international standing is an endorsement of the Festival’s reputation and excellence and can only enhance the Festival’s credibility when it comes to attracting high calibre artists and events to our city.

Helen Clark’s association with Dunedin’s biennial arts festival dates back to its inauguration in 1999 when she was both Minister of the Arts and Prime Minster. In her message of support to the Festival, Helen Clark said, “I’m really pleased that the Festival continues to thrive. A nation can be rich in every material sense, but it is impoverished if it fails to provide for and nurture creative expression. I wish the Festival well for its 2016 season.”

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, also expressed her delight at lending support to the Festival.

“Dunedin holds great significance for me – this is where, in 1965, I won the Mobil Song Quest which was a major springboard to my career. In recent years I have been pleased to present two solo recitals with Arts Festival Dunedin and am delighted to now put my name to the organisation which for nearly two decades has offered diverse and interesting programmes providing great pleasure to audiences living in and visiting this wonderful region of New Zealand.”

The 2016 Festival programme will see 38 events staged over ten days and nights from September 30 to October 9. The programme includes the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra’s world première of New Zealand composer Anthony Ritchie’s newest work, Gallipoli to the Somme, and three New Zealand premières: UK productions The Cube and Beyond the Bright Black Edge of Nowhere, and from Australia Sheridan Harbridge’s acclaimed Songs for the Fallen.

The diverse line up of events also includes: one of Australia’s national living treasures, cartoonist Michael Leunig; international master of solo performance Guy Masterson performing Under Milk Wood and Shylock; kabaret noir stars Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen; LIVE LIVE CINEMA’s Little Shop of Horrors; The Mike Knock Trio and the NZTRIO collaborate for their concert Vicissitudes; while Michele A’ Court, Arthur Meek and Barnie Duncan headline at the festival’s Comedy Club.

And following its sell out première season at the New Zealand Festival in March, The Devil’s Half Acre - set in the slums of Dunedin during the gold rush era, comes home to where it all took place.

Falling in the school holidays this year, the festival programme also provides a swag of family entertainment. Celebrations of The Royal New Zealand Navy’s 75th anniversary feature at the Festival with a free children’s pantomime – Commander Claire and the Pirates of Provence, and The Complete History of the RNZ Navy Abridged - a light hearted naval romp through the decades. Java Dance will delight young audiences with Dirt and Other Delicious Ingredients, and Hip-Hop enthusiasts will have the chance to see some of the country’s top Hip- Hop exponents in Out of the Box.

www.artsfestivaldunedin.co.nz

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