The Big Idea | Valuing creativity, accelerating success

The Big Idea is the online hub for creatives seeking collaborators, opportunities and inspiration for enriching careers in the arts.

Word on the Street
Word On The Street: Punk and presents
Dominic Hoey’s round-up of the best gigs, exhibitions and events happening around Aotearoa in the next week.
The Lowdown
Boomer to the rescue
A lycra-clad actor saves the day, a New Zealand film named best-ever by a female director and more in Mark Amery’s latest weekly round-up of unmissable arts news.
Feature
Forty artist scholarships on offer for groundbreaking conference
Lemi Ponifasio, guest curator of NZ Festival, explains how he plans to start some crucial conversations.
Feature
‘Speak yourself into existence’
One of Aotearoa’s most promising young voices talks to Dominic Hoey about identity, building resilience and the importance of good mentors.
Arts Insiders
Viv Stone - The driving force behind Auckland’s best-kept secret
Bringing a legacy to life is a special challenge in an arts career. Andrea Rush talks to Viv Stone about her passion to mature NZ’s art infrastructure.
Arts Smarts
Taking care of yourself online
For writers, performers and other artists, social media can be both fertile and frightening. ABC’s Osman Faruqi shares some tips on looking after yourself online.
Word on the Street
Word on the Street: featuring the guy who annoyed Dave Dobbyn
Want to impress friends with your knowledge of all the cool, underground events coming up? Our man, Dominic Hoey, is here with your weekly cheat-sheet.
The Lowdown
Creative NZ funding: who lost out?
Mark Amery reveals who’s been hit hard in this week’s arts news Lowdown.
Feature
The difference between fear and danger
Ōtautahi artist Gemma Syme, works in multiple disciplines to create work that is often playful and always political.
Feature
Weighing in on the generation gap
A new exhibition by journalist Verity Johnson examines the unique pressures and stereotypes surrounding 18-year-old women living in Aotearoa today.
Feature
CNZ announces the recipient of a highly coveted residency
Kate Powell talks to the recipient headed to Berlin for a year.
Who Got The Gig?
Making magic behind the curtain
How an unforgettable moment while waiting in the wings sparked a lifelong passion for Jessica Duirs.
Word on the Street
Word on the Street
In his new column, Dominic Hoey highlights upcoming events that might otherwise fly under the radar. This week, confronting art and a chance to see Aotearoa’s next big things before they blow up.
The Lowdown
Farewell, wahine toa
A New Zealand icon gone too soon, severe flooding at the Venice Biennale and other must-read arts news in this week’s Lowdown by Mark Amery.
Feature
A frickin' awful Christmas
From silk boxers to awkward urinal encounters, the cast and crew of The Basement’s Christmas show share their worst-ever Christmas experiences.
Feature
Lontalius on his ‘difficult second album'
Dominic Hoey talks to Eddie Johnston (Lontalius) about what he’s gleaned about collaboration and his time in the US.
Feature
What these residency applicants got right
We find out what makes a successful residency proposal stand out from the rest.
Arts Smarts
Why doing a U-turn is OK
Embracing failure is one of the hardest challenges we face as professionals. How to use those failures is a lesson all arts organisations need to learn.
Advice to My 22-Year-Old Self
'It’s not your job to smile'
If you could go back and give your 22-year-old self some advice, what would you say? Lisa Crawley has some choice words of wisdom.
The Lowdown
Dirt, cat food and clickbait
Mark Amery rounds up the bold and beautiful in arts news from New Zealand and beyond in this week’s Lowdown #71.

Jobs

opportunity

New Zealand Festival of the Arts

Artist Scholarships to Talanoa Mau

Artist Scholarships applications are now open for Talanoa Mau curated by Lemi Ponifasio. 24 & 25 February 2020, NZ Festival of the Arts

Region:

National

Closes:

10 Jan 2020

opportunity

The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi

Springboard

Six mentor packages kickstarting sustainable arts careers in 2020.

Region:

National

Closes:

20 Dec 2019

opportunity

New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata

Adam Portraiture Award 2020: Call for Entries

Entries for the Adam Portraiture Award 2020 are now open.

Region:

National

Closes:

6 Dec 2019

View all Jobs

Events

Event

March 13 - 15 at 8:30pm

Place des Anges

As the sun sets over the city, high above the tree tops, angels descend from the heavens.

Venue:

Auckland Domain

Auckland

Kelcy Taratoa, replicant, 2006, courtesy of Te Manawa

Event

Open Daily. 10am - 4.30pm. 5 Oct 2019 - 1 Mar 2020

Kelcy Taratoa - who am i? episode 001

A mid-career survey of work by contemporary artist Kelcy Taratoa, dealing with cultural identity in 21st century Aotearoa.

Venue:

Tauranga Art Gallery

Bay of Plenty

View all Events

Len Lye’s painting 'Witchetty Grub' is seen through his kinetic sculpture 'Fountain', in the exhibition 'Len Lye – Motion Composer' at Museum Tinguely. Courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation

New Zealander Len Lye’s exhibition opens in Europe

The most comprehensive exhibition of Len Lye’s art to be seen in Europe has opened at the Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland.

Wellington Theatre Awards 2019

Nominees for the Wellington Theatre Awards 2019

VIEW OUR 2019 FEATURE & TV-PILOT WINNERS

2019’s Feature and TV-Pilot Winners Announced

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR 2019 FEATURE & TV-PILOT SCREENWRITING CONTEST WINNERS.

Opportunity / Depot Artspace

Creative Employment Consultant

Opportunity / Auckland Arts Festival

Receptionist/ Office Assistant

Opportunity / Invercargill Public Art Gallery

Assistant Curator/Administrator (8 months Fixed Term .8 -1.0 FTE negotiable)

Opportunity / Experience Wellington

Educator at Space Place, Museums Wellington

Event / 28 Nov 2019

BIG Christmas Artists Sale

Event / 18 Jan 2020

Shoreside Theatre presents Auckland Shakespeare in the Park - As You Like It & Macbeth

Event / 18 Mar 2020

Verses (Black Grace)

Event / 17 Nov 2019

Word On The Street: Punk and presents

Boomer to the rescue

Forty artist scholarships on offer for groundbreaking conference

‘Speak yourself into existence’

Viv Stone - The driving force behind Auckland’s best-kept secret

Taking care of yourself online

Word on the Street: featuring the guy who annoyed Dave Dobbyn

Creative NZ funding: who lost out?

The difference between fear and danger

Weighing in on the generation gap

CNZ announces the recipient of a highly coveted residency

Making magic behind the curtain

Word on the Street

Farewell, wahine toa

A frickin' awful Christmas

Lontalius on his ‘difficult second album'

What these residency applicants got right

Why doing a U-turn is OK

'It’s not your job to smile'

Dirt, cat food and clickbait

New Zealander Len Lye’s exhibition opens in Europe

Wellington Theatre Awards 2019

2019’s Feature and TV-Pilot Winners Announced

Creative Employment Consultant

Receptionist/ Office Assistant

Assistant Curator/Administrator (8 months Fixed Term .8 -1.0 FTE negotiable)

Educator at Space Place, Museums Wellington

BIG Christmas Artists Sale

Shoreside Theatre presents Auckland Shakespeare in the Park - As You Like It & Macbeth

Verses (Black Grace)

Sculpture in the Gardens

Our Partners

Word On The Street: Punk and presents

Boomer to the rescue

Forty artist scholarships on offer for groundbreaking conference

‘Speak yourself into existence’

Viv Stone - The driving force behind Auckland’s best-kept secret

Taking care of yourself online

Word on the Street: featuring the guy who annoyed Dave Dobbyn

Creative NZ funding: who lost out?

The difference between fear and danger

Weighing in on the generation gap

CNZ announces the recipient of a highly coveted residency

Making magic behind the curtain

Word on the Street

Farewell, wahine toa

A frickin' awful Christmas

Lontalius on his ‘difficult second album'

What these residency applicants got right

Why doing a U-turn is OK

'It’s not your job to smile'

Dirt, cat food and clickbait

Jobs

Events

New Zealander Len Lye’s exhibition opens in Europe

Wellington Theatre Awards 2019

2019’s Feature and TV-Pilot Winners Announced

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Our Partners