Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival opens this Friday for its second annual festival, once again celebrating the vast creativity of the East Coast and its people.
Ka Pō, Ka Waiata combines live performance and soundscapes Photo: Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival
From Friday 2nd to 11th October, locals and visitors to the region will be able to experience a programme of light, sound, theatre, dance colour and legacy.
Artistic Director Tama Waipara says the festival reflects the community - connecting local artists with audiences, providing platforms for stories that need to be told, creating spaces that uplift the community, and curating moments packed with positivity and joy.
He tells Cynthia Morahan the festival has a simple kaupapa: "We are of this place and its people" and that means it seeks to directly involve and reflect the East Coast community.
Te Ara i Whiti at Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival showcases contemporary Māori art Photo: Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival