Highlights of the AAPPAC Auckland Conference 2018
Auckland Live was proud to host the southern-most annual convening of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) in September.
Local iwi (tribe) Ngāti Whātua (Photo credit: Auckland Live)
The opening day of the conference commenced at the Aotea Centre with a full pōwhiri, welcoming nearly 100 delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region to Auckland Live and Aotearoa, New Zealand. This traditional Māori ceremony is a protocol led by the local people to welcome visitors to their home ground. Auckland Live staff were superbly led and supported in this ceremony by local iwi (tribe) Ngāti Whātua.
Pōwhiri Welcome (Photo credit: Auckland Live)
Opening welcoming addresses were led by AAPPAC chairman Douglas Gautier and Auckland Live director Robbie Macrae, and followed by thoughtful addresses from Creative New Zealand chief executive Stephen Wainwright and Asia New Zealand Foundation executive director Simon Draper. Opening speaker, acclaimed Māori playwright and theatre maker Hone Kouka, rounded out the welcome by providing a Māori context for the New Zealand performing arts scene over the past two decades. Hone reminded us that trust is the greatest currency you can cultivate when working with artists.
The opening remarks were an ideal setting to lead into the first session of the conference, looking at the value of festivals to arts centres as mechanisms to reach diverse audiences. Executive director of performing arts at Arts Centre Melbourne, Melanie Smith, led panelists Sarah Martin of Arts House Limited in Singapore, Dolina Wehipeihana of the Auckland Arts Festival, and Liz Hawkins of the Adelaide Festival Centre in an insightful discussion about the value of devoting the space and time for communities to engage in ‘concentrated debate and social interaction’.
Delegates were then offered an update on the exciting changes and development projects scheduled for the next five years for Auckland Live. Director Robbie Macrae spoke of the refurbishment work that would shortly close the Aotea Centre to the public for five months, and the planned Aotea Studios development that will create New Zealand’s first fully resourced, dedicated home for performing arts development.
From there, delegates were led on a guided tour of Auckland’s beloved heritage theatre The Civic, a much-loved Auckland landmark. Built in 1929, The Civic is an outstanding example of atmospheric theatre design and one of the few of this type remaining in the world. Day one wrapped up with a chance for delegates to relax and mingle at a function at the Auckland Art Gallery, where they were entertained by the award-winning, tongue-in-cheek masters of the Māori showband, the Modern Māori Quartet.
Modern Māori Quartet (Photo credit: Auckland Live)
Day two commenced with a review of successful investment, partnership and collaboration opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region by a knowledgeable speaker line-up including OzAsia Festival’s Joseph Mitchell, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Yvonne Tham, Tongyeong Concert Hall’s Florian Riem, and Shona McCullagh from the New Zealand Dance Company. These speakers shared experiences and observations from their own projects across the region.
A highlight of day two was the introduction of the inaugural AAPPAC Connecting Series, which put programming and new creative work generated by AAPPAC member organisations front and centre. Moderator Liz Hawkins introduced seven organisations representing members from Japan, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea who shared ideas on potential partnerships through the development and presentation of new work.
The final session of the afternoon interrogated the growing role and responsibilities of performing arts centres as anchor organisations within cultural districts. Led by Global Cultural Districts Network’s director, Beatrice Pembroke, speakers included Claire Spencer of Arts Centre Melbourne, Kingsley Jayasekera from the West Kowloon Cultural District, and Hahn Busch from Left Bank Co. Each reflected on organisations and districts that seek to go beyond their primary purpose and focus on their global impact. The second day ended with a tour of the Aotea Centre’s ASB Theatre and the Auckland Town Hall’s Great Hall. The historic Great Hall, modelled on the famous Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, is home to the world-renowned Auckland Town Hall Organ.
Venue tour at The Civic (Photo credit: Auckland Live)
Day three commenced with an early breakfast for the programmers in the delegation, hosted by Auckland Live’s head of Programming and Presenter Services, Bernie Haldane. Then followed the final programme of the day – a discussion on current programming trends and priorities in venues and festivals located across the Asia-Pacific region. This discussion was led by ISPA chief executive David Baile, with input and observations from the New Zealand Festival’s Marnie Karmelita, Gaurav Kripalani of the Singapore International Festival of Arts, Chris Millado from the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Chang Yu-Ling from the Taipei Performing Arts Center.
It was wonderful to meet new AAPPAC members Arts House Limited, Merrigong Theatre Company and Illawara Performing Arts Centre as well as the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, who introduced themselves by way of presentations. They were followed by an enticing update from Chris Millado from the Cultural Center of the Philippines – host of the 2019 AAPPAC Conference. Chris shared delicious edible gifts with delegates as a persuasive reminder to everyone to mark the 2019 dates in their diaries.
Robbie Macrae (Photo credit: Auckland Live)
Later in the day, the conference wrapped up with an inspiring closing keynote from West Kowloon Cultural District’s artistic director of performing arts, Alison M. Friedman. Reflecting on the three full days of the conference, Alison reminded us that as performing arts centres, we are in the business of making the world a better place to live, not only for ourselves, but for our communities and our children. Wise words to remember as we head into the New Year.
From Robbie and the team here at Auckland Live, we would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the delegates, speakers and guests who made the long journey to New Zealand to join us for the 2018 AAPPAC Conference. In addition, we could not have made this stimulating meeting of minds happen without our sponsors, artists and supporters, and we extend our thanks to them as well. We were proud to be able to share our part of the world with you and look forward to meeting again in Manila, in September 2019.
Delegates Group Photo (Credit: Auckland Live)