Festival of ideas and kōrero
The Aspiring Conversation programme is returning to Wānaka in March. It will feature a number of speakers and artists across four days who aim to inspire, create space for reflection and live exchange. It’s more important now than ever to gather, discuss, listen and reflect on the issues that affect all in our community and the world at large.
Aspiring Conversations runs every second year, with the Festival of Colour running in between. Festival Director Sophie Kelly says it’s an important event to keep the community engaged. Bringing together journalists, writers, theatre directors, artists, economists and activists, the weekend unfolds with ideas, debates and performance that explores what’s shaping Aotearoa and what’s coming next.
“Aspiring Conversations is about making time to listen and reflect. It brings people together to engage with ideas that are often rushed or polarised, and to hear directly from those shaping the conversations of our time,” Kelly says.
The festival will open with a theatrical play reading from award-winning theatre company, Nightsong, of The Burning House. The new work-in-development will explore what happens when you begin to tell the story of your life, and your life starts talking back.
True Stories Told Live is another opening night show. It will feature five storytellers, each sharing a personal tale based on the theme ‘Lost and Found’. You can expect to feel all the emotions as they take a deep dive into the strange stuff of life. The session features writer Jillian Sullivan, LGBTQIA+ activist Shaneel Lal, Wānaka local Paul Tamati (Te Arawa), filmmaker Peta Carey and theatre director Ben Crowder.
Saturday at the festival is jam packed. There’s Breakfast with Papers – Election Year, where three of Aotearoa’s top journalists discuss the day’s news and share their thoughts on the upcoming election. Building on the Treaty will bring together Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe) and Judge Carrie Wainwright, chaired by Annis Somerville (Kāi Tahu), to focus on how Te Tiriti o Waitangi operates in practice and the positive outcomes that come from honouring the agreement.
Taking Action on Climate Change also features on Saturday, where Jessica Palairet, Jonathan Boston and Kay Harrison will dive into what real climate action looks like. Theatre show Selene will wrap up the day, featuring a cinematic score by Wright and Grainger. It will rework an ancient Greek myth through a contemporary lens, telling a powerful story that reflects on growing up, being shaped by our bodies and the wild forces within us.
Sunday will conclude the festival with Healthcare in Crisis, where Rob Campbell, Lucy O’Hagan and Boyd Swinburn examine the pressures facing our health system, from workforce burnout to access and equity. Feel the Fear features rally driver Emma Gilmour, former Newshub Europe correspondent Lisette Reymer and iconic Split Enz bassist Mike Chunn sharing personal reflections on how fear has shaped their lives and careers.
People Have the Power has Shaneel Lal, India Logan-Riley and Lola Fisher considering youth-led movements, civic engagement and the role of digital platforms in organising social, environmental and political change, chaired by Rohan O’Neill-Stevens. Taking Off – A Celebration of Brian Turner honours the late poet and environmentalist with Turner’s partner, also an accomplished writer, Jillian Sullivan, composer Janet Jennings and performers Robert Tucker and David Kelly. Then finally, there’s Kiwi Country, where Te Radar and Ruth Spencer bring rural New Zealand’s hidden histories to life through objects, stories and audience participation.
Kelly says that the festival is a great opportunity to encourage (and see) people taking the opportunity to reflect and listen to these important conversations. At the moment, it’s easy for people to get caught up in the echo chamber of social media and the media as a whole – the festival is a great way to bring people together in real time and to hear speakers that are experts in their fields.
“At a deeper level, I think to open our minds to see different views – there’s a lot of everyone’s got an opinion on something these days – so it’s important for us to be challenged and think about having a different perspective or seeing something differently,” Kelly says.
The 2026 Aspiring Conversations will run from Friday, 27 until Sunday, 29 March. It features 12 shows and there will be a limited number of door sales available for shows that aren’t sold out in advance. Check out the full programme and grab your tickets at aspiringconversations.co.nz
