Wrapping Up the Festival: A Look Back at 18 Incredible Days
As the final container door closes on the Spiegeltent and the last twinkling lights come down from the Festival Garden, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that was Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2025. Over the past 18 days, Tāmaki Makaurau came alive with bold storytelling, transformative experiences and a real sense of togetherness.
And let’s talk about the weather — because, somehow, the sun decided to be on our side nearly every day! We launched in style with Kia Kori! Let’s Dance!, a vibrant celebration in Aotea Square, where the city pulsed with dance, music and community spirit. The Festival Garden grooved to the sounds of Betty-Anne, Julia Deans, Thomas Stowers and The Levites, setting the tone for a Festival that delivered energy, heart and a whole lot of magic.
Festival Highlights
This year, we hosted over 700 artists from 17 countries, each bringing their unique artistry to our stages, streets and public spaces. From theatre to music, circus to dance, it was a feast for the senses.
SIX the Musical was an absolute smash hit, drawing audiences of all ages. Beyond the dazzling costumes and infectious beats, it’s amazing to think that this show started as a student production at Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 — and now plays in over nine countries. Seeing families decked out in replica costumes, walking up Queen Street to The Civic, was a sight to behold.
Meanwhile, Belle – A Performance of Air by Movement of the Human opened our run of shows in the stunning Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. This jaw-dropping piece, created by some of New Zealand’s finest artists, left audiences spellbound. For many, it ranked among the best performances they’d ever seen — anywhere in the world. We can’t wait to see where this work goes next.
One of the biggest moments of the Festival? Scottish Ballet’s long-awaited return to New Zealand after 51 years with A Streetcar Named Desire. I won’t lie — when the second act began and the audience was silent, I had a moment of panic, because you could not hear a pin drop in that auditorium. But when the curtain call came, and the entire theatre leapt to their feet? Pure relief — and pure joy. We are grateful to the Royal New Zealand Ballet for hosting them in Wellington also, to connect as international peers and give the Scottish Ballet a memorable experience of Aotearoa.
Each week we host our guests in a pōwhiri, which gives them a rare chance to come together to meet and connect. A real highlight was watching the company of Lula Washington Dance Theatre and Soweto Gospel Choir respond with a singing and dance fusion of ‘This Little Light of Mine’. An unforgettable moment for artist and Festival team.
As we closed the final weekend, This Is Not A Retrospective — Black Grace’s 30th anniversary celebration — had jaws to the floor and hands raised to the ceiling in the ultimate of dance parties. This has had a lot of FOMO feedback from those who missed it. Celebrating the ride was the iconic Che Fu, hip hop artist Tha Feelstyle, drag legend Buckwheat and the New Zealand Trio (Somi Kim, Ashley Brown, Amalia Hall), along with Auckland’s ‘Godfather of soul and hip hop’, DJ Manuel Bundy. It was a night not to be missed. I am so happy we could get Auckland Live on board to hand over the keys of the Great Hall to this incredible dance company to pay homage to what has gone before and to tease us in what is yet to come. Bring on the next 30 Black Grace!
Festival Encounters: A City Alive with Art
Our City Encounters lineup invited audiences to fall in love with Tāmaki Makaurau in new ways. Whānau Day transformed Aotea Square and Queen Street into a playground of free activities, live music and family-friendly fun, complete with Mercury Tuk Tuks ferrying festivalgoers between performances.
The ROVA Sound Stage was a hub of live music, showcasing over 50 artists and DJs in the heart of the city, Aotea Arts Quarter became a place to chill between shows, soak in the summer vibes and experience pop-up performances. And let’s not forget the stunning Visual Arts programme across 21 exhibitions 7 galleries, or Auckland Philharmonia’s free concerts bringing music to neighbourhoods citywide.
Championing New Zealand Creativity
Supporting local artists is at the heart of what we do. This year, we proudly presented 12 New Zealand works, from boundary-pushing theatre to electrifying dance and innovative music collaborations. Our partnership with Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ) brought together 300 industry guests, ensuring our artists had the chance to connect with national and international presenters.
The art of international collaboration was on show with Smashed – The Nightcap, our Spiegeltent hit. The work featured nearly 50% Aotearoa artists, working alongside an international creative crew under the keen eye of creative mentor, cross disciplinary artist and resident tent Daddy Victoria Falconer. Seeing our performers thrive in this environment was exhilarating, and we can’t wait to see what they dream up next!
Exploring language and culture
Our Toitū Te Reo programme is our commitment to ensure that te reo Māori is seen and heard throughout the Festival. Seven key projects were presented across the festival including a partnership with Te Pou Theatre of their world premiere theatre work ration the Queen’s veges; Toiere in association with New Zealand Opera, which now includes newly commissioned operatic waiata (song) in te reo Māori; and the reading of Ngā Whakamāoritanga by Hemi Kelly, based on the play Translations by Brian Friel. Celebration of language and diverse cultures was highlighted across the lineup, whether it was from artists from across the world, or our artistic voices who now call Aotearoa home. The world premiere season of a mixtape for maladies by Ahilan Karunaharan — the third in the writer’s trilogy of stunning works — opened Auckland Theatre Company’s 2025 season, expressing the heart, hope and strength amongst the devastating impact of war.
A City of Music
Auckland is a proud UNESCO City of Music, so it is unsurprising music was a big hit across our stages this year. We presented national and international music events with audience favourites being Gene Kelly – A Life in Music, performed with the pride of the city, Auckland Philharmonia; Scottish sensations Talisk, who left the Spiegeltent in an exhausted, happy, sweaty mess; Soweto Gospel Choir raising the roof of Auckland Town Hall; and the Indigenous Music Series, which included hosting Maya Piata and Kulāiwi & Kaumakaiwa, who won the hearts of audiences from Waiheke Island to Māngere Arts Centre.
A Festival for Everyone
Removing barriers to participation in the arts remains a key strategy of the Festival. This year, we have issued more than 2,100 free tickets to students, as well as over 400 reduced-cost Access tickets and free Companion tickets to our city's Deaf and disabled communities.
Over 200 students from as far north as Orewa, south to Te Awamutu and west to Henderson attended opening night of A Streetcar Named Desire, thanks to the British High Commission. Our Creative Learning programme included a special session where I took a passionate group of teachers into the technical rehearsal of Belle, offering them an inside look at how a major production comes together — especially within such a short timeframe! Our programmes for Student Ambassadors and our Young Critics create an opportunity for students to explore career pathways beyond the stage and we look forward to seeing our participants carry forth their learnings from this festival.
I am especially proud of initiatives developed including very visual performance for Deaf and Hard of Hearing with our dance programme, a NZSL-interpreted show of Soweto Gospel Choir, and of course the presentation of the work Personal by Jodee Mundy, OAM, highlighting the world of CODA (Children of Deaf Adults)
See You in 2026!
A festival of this scale doesn’t happen without an army of passionate people. To our artists, partners, volunteers and, most importantly, our audiences — thank you. Your energy, enthusiasm and love for the arts are what make this festival truly special.
As we pack down, we’re already counting down to next year. Mark your calendars: Thursday 5 March, 2026. See you in the Festival Garden to kick off another unforgettable celebration of art, music and culture in this incredible city.
Ngā mihi nui i tō tautoko i tēnei tau. Hei tērā tau!
— Bernie Haldane, Kaitohu Toi · Artistic Director
