The magic of Christmas: Isaac Theatre Royal

Spoiler alert: A Christmas Royal giveaway is hiding in this story. Christmas in New Zealand is all about sunshine, sand, and days at the beach. Even amidst the barbecues and beach trips, there’s something special about stepping into the Isaac Theatre Royal for a dose of festive magic. In the heart of Christchurch, this grand […]

Write songs that make the whole world sing

For all those budding songwriters out there, an exciting new music scholarship is available, in conjunction with a national songwriting competition. Christchurch-based SOLE Music Academy’s competition is now open to solo songwriters of any genre, aged 15 years and up, from across New Zealand. Academy founder Sacha Vee says the competition is about discovering and […]

Giving life to stone: York Street Gallery

Debbie Templeton-Page’s sculptures seem to have a wairua that yearns to reach out from their solid foundations. Serene faces that could be dreaming death-masks, abstract geometric forms that fluidly shift and turn; and long, elongated figures stretching to the heavens. The Tasmanian-born artist has established herself as a master-sculptor, honing her craft in Canterbury over […]

A night of magic: Isaac Theatre Royal

Ten years ago on 17 November, 2014, a resilient Christchurch community gathered in anticipation. After years of uncertainty following the devastating earthquakes, the doors of the iconic Isaac Theatre Royal (ITR) would swing open once again to reclaim its place in the city’s cultural heart. For many, the idea of the old lady’s grand reopening […]

Where creativity flourishes: Art Metro

Jenni Foster has been attending classes at Art Metro for over half a decade. Jenni always enjoyed creative pursuits, but truly felt the need to explore her creativity as a reprieve from the stresses of her career. “Being a teacher, it’s easy for that to take over your life. It swamps you. I needed an […]

Live & Local: Isaac Theatre Royal

Nurturing Christchurch’s musical talent. Christchurch has long been a city brimming with artistic talent, yet too often, our local musicians struggle to find platforms that allow their voices to be heard on a larger stage. Recognising this gap, the Isaac Theatre Royal is launching an innovative programme designed to spotlight homegrown talent: the local artist […]

Where Our Shadows Meet, a groundbreaking performance bridging worlds: Isaac Theatre Royal

In an era where storytelling has taken on myriad forms, Where Our Shadows Meet emerges as a poignant narrative that pushes the boundaries of language, communication, and connection. Presented by the Isaac Theatre Royal (ITR) in collaboration with Equal Voices, this powerful production is a significant part of ITR’s new programming strategy, underscoring their commitment […]

Top Father’s Day reading: Piccadilly Books

With Father’s Day on Sunday 1 September this year, now is a great time to check out some of the great choices at Piccadilly Books. Here are some of my latest favourites. Invasion by Frank Gardner, reviewed by Neville Our price $38.00 The Chinese People’s Republic has repeatedly made its intentions clear in that it […]

Harmonious nonsense: Alexandra Hope

Alexandra Hope Watson is a high flyer – literally. You may have seen her beaming down at you from a University of Canterbury (UC) billboard, emboldened behind her the words “MUSIC” and “AEROBATICS”, writes Metropol’s Joseph Harper. Acurious juxtaposition, one that describes two of the young composer and concert singer’s passions. Alexandra began flying at […]

Lynley Dodd’s legacy

One of New Zealand’s favourite children’s book writers, Dame Lynley Dodd DNZM, is gifting budding children’s writers the same gift that gave her a leg up. The $30,000 Lynley Dodd Children’s Writers Award was inspired by a similar pivotal moment where a financial gift enabled Lynley to continue writing and make her name. She hopes […]