Taranaki Arts Festival
| Taranaki Arts Festival | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Biannual |
| Location | New Plymouth |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Inaugurated | March 1991 |
| Founders | Roger King and Grant Kerr |
| Organised by | Taranaki Arts Festival Trust |
Taranaki Arts Festival is a long-running biannual arts festival in the Taranaki region of New Zealand, founded in 1991 by Grant Kerr and Roger King.[1] Initially it was the Taranaki International Arts Festival.[2]
The Taranaki Arts Festival is managed by the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust (TAFT) a charitable trust. The Trust also manage other events in the Taranaki region including in some years WOMAD and the Taranaki Garden Festival.[1]
History
Inspired by the New Zealand Festival in Wellington the founders Grant Kerr and Roger King ran the first festival in March 1991. It was three weeks long.[1] It was first known as the Taranaki International Arts Festival.[2] The first festival had 150 shows and 500 artists including Douglas Wright, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Topp Twins, Shonagh McCullagh, Footnote Dance, The Warratahs and Sam Hunt.[3]
David Inns joined the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust in 1992[4] and brought knowledge over eight years to the festival as he worked part of the year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and also the New Zealand Festival in Wellington.[5]
Roger King was the director until 2009.[6] Drew James has been the artistic director of the festival and was replaced by Suzanne Porter.[2]
Craig Cooper was appointed in 2016 as the artistic director of the festival while he maintained his role of director at the Christchurch Arts Festival.[2]
In 2021 a documentary was made commemorating thirty years since the first festival, in addition there was an exhibition of past festivals presented at the TSB Showplace in New Plymouth.[1]
In 2025 the council supported the Trust financially with a risk all the festivals could fold including WOMAD Aotearoa in New Plymouth, the Taranaki Garden Festival, the Reimagine Arts festival and Winter Fest.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Mcilraith, Brianna (4 June 2021). "Taranaki Arts Festival Trust documentary looks back on 30 years of festivals". Stuff News New Zealand. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Craig Cooper announced as the new artistic director for the Taranaki International Arts Festival". Stuff New Zealand. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "TAFT". Taranaki Arts Festival Trust. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ Healy, Catherine (21 December 2012). "Festival head seeks to wow". Stuff. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ Jennifer Dann (9 January 2017). "Twelve Questions with Auckland Arts Festival chief executive David Inns". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Art with Mark Amery: arts festivals". RNZ. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ McLean, Glenn (2 October 2025). "Councillors vote to secure Taranaki Arts Festival Trust's immediate future". The Post. Retrieved 7 May 2026.