Features

Musician Polly Sussex and friends have put together a programme of music and readings to mark the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley publishing her novel Frankenstein under her own name. Audio

Tony Stamp reviews fresh Idaho indie, Spanish percussion jams, and Glaswegian dream pop. Audio

Self-taught dancer John Vaifale, who used to practise headspins on cardboard he scavenged from dumpsters, is New Zealand's reigning hip hop freestyler champion. Video

One of the first Māori artists to gain a PhD in fashion says his whakapapa is a “super power” that gives him the extra edge in his creative endeavours.

Writer and musician Henry Rollins is visiting Aotearoa for a series of spoken word shows. He tells Elliott Childs how he’s changed over the years. Audio

A poll of Australians found their favourite classical instrument to be the cello. Prominent NZ cellist Ashley Brown (NZTrio) speaks with Jim Mora about the attraction - and challenges - of the instrument closest to the human voice. Audio

Musician Troy Kingi delves into a world of honey, kawakawa, mussels, snapper, and paua.

Country Life - Adrian Merhten's hydroponic journey began 20 years ago after being inspired by a local vegetable grower. He was a baker then, but now he's known in Hokitika as "The Lettuce Man". Audio

Tāmaki Makaurau musician Paige is excited about the upcoming release of her debut album. Video, Audio

Professional funny people James Nokise, Karen O'Leary and Tofiga Fepulea'i share advice on how to get through two wintry weeks with your kids off school.

Early Māori welcomed the rising of the Matariki star cluster by sending steam from their kai into the sky as an offering and expression of gratitude.

On the evening of November 17, 1979, at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, Port Moresby, the local favourite and Commonwealth champion Johnny Aba was up against Eusebio Pedroza, who was putting his WBA featherweight title on the line. It was Papua New Guinea's greatest night of boxing - and one of the most controversial.

Mediawatch: Why does the New Zealand media give arts and culture just half the space that's devoted to sport? Audio

Sally Round gets up at the crack of dawn to join three hunters culling deer on a Tairāwhiti farm. Video, Audio

American journalist Emily Hanford argues that the influential Reading Recovery programme - which New Zealander Dame Marie Clay developed in the '70s - is out of step with discoveries in cognitive science. Audio

At the Movies - Sally Woodfield talks us through some of the perplexing, confronting and comforting films in this year's festival line-up. Audio

NEW SERIES: Live music from the "King and Queen of the banjo", a musical partnership like no other. In this performance recorded by RNZ in New Plymouth they deliver a great set of original songs which the crowd just loves!

The first in a new series of live music performances features folk duo Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn performing live on the Dell Stage of Pukekura Park in New Plymouth.

The rising price of groceries is hitting gluten-intolerant Kiwis hard. Video, Audio

Astronomer (and New Zealander of the Year) Rangi Mātāmua hopes the Māori New Year can become central to New Zealand's national identity.

Country Life - Most mornings, you'll also find 76-year-old Te Puke man Knocker Harris in his basement creating a new interactive child's toy. Audio

William Dart revels in Rufus Wainwright's new album Folkocracy - a tribute to the central importance of the folk-singing tradition in our music, with guests ranging from Chaka Khan and David Byrne to the great Van Dyke Parks. Audio

John Vaifale used to practise headspins on pieces of old cardboard. Now he's New Zealand's freestyle hip-hop dance champion. Video

New Zealand will wave goodbye to another lot of single-use plastics today including produce bags, cutlery, plates and bowls.