Dates Announced for Auckland Festival, AK07

Wednesday 26 April 2006

Dates Announced for Auckland Festival, AK07

The Auckland Festival, AK07, will light up the heart of Auckland city next March 9-24, offering an inspiring and exciting selection of new and ambitious New Zealand and Pacific work and an impressive international line-up, the Auckland Festival Trust announced today. "The programme will fuel the curiosity and imagination of everyone," says David Malacari, Chief Executive of the Auckland Festival.

"We're very excited by the work we're programming for 2007. There's a fantastic range of outstanding events. The international acts are amongst the best in the world and the high quality local events reflect the cultural make-up of Auckland, with an emphasis on the city's dynamic Maori and Pacific cultures."

The Auckland Festival, AK07, will include a visual arts programme, a contemporary and classical music programme, a season of cabaret and club events, a dance season, a theatre season and a free programme aimed at encouraging families and friends to enjoy what is often unaffordable to them.

Malacari says the recent results of a Creative New Zealand survey which found nine out of ten New Zealanders are involved in the arts either as participants or spectators and 76% of New Zealanders think the arts help define our national identity was very encouraging for the growth of arts in the wider community. "We want Aucklanders to celebrate the diverse and spirited city they live in and to support the unique opportunity to see so many quality artistic events under one umbrella", says Malacari.

"The Auckland Festival is a celebration of artistic courage and triumph and we hope the city joins us in this celebration." The Festival also announced today the appointment of Roger King, Vivienne Sutherland Bridgwater and Heather Shotter to the 2007 Festival Board of Trustees. Roger King, the artistic director for the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, which oversees the Taranaki Festival of the Arts and WOMAD (World of Music Art & Dance), New Zealand's largest outdoor music event, says he is thrilled to be able to contribute to Auckland Festival.

"A city the size of Auckland must have a festival. It enables local artists to extend their arts practice in a forum with an international spotlight." Vivien Sutherland Bridgwater, who has worked in the media and arts for more than three decades, during which time she was the general manager for the Radio Bureau and Mai FM as well as sitting on the Board of Television New Zealand and consulting for Saatchi & Saatchi, says she is delighted to be appointed to the Board. "The power of the arts as a communication form and it's ability to add richness to our lives, combined with the opportunity of making that happen in Auckland is very, very exciting".

Heather Shotter has held several senior management positions since joining SKYCITY in 1994. She is currently responsible for SKYCITY's New Zealand business operations, and for the marketing, sales, communications and business planning functions across the Group. "Her business and management skills and corporate knowledge will be a great asset to the Auckland Festival", said Chairman Richard Waddel in announcing the board's new appointments.

The Auckland Festival is a biennial event that has grown exponentially since it began in 2003. Last year's festival, AK05, attracted thousands of arts and entertainment lovers to the city centre and wider suburbs where large outdoor events were staged. Further announcements will be made about the Auckland Festival; it's programme and other exciting developments in the up coming months.

ENDS

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