COVID-19 Notice
Did you attend the matinee Festival performance, touch tour or pre-show Artist Talk for Hōkioi me te Vwōhali on Saturday 14 March at Soundings Theatre, Te Papa?
If so, please do take the time to read this important advice: https://bit.ly/2J6cmUi
New Zealand Festival of the Arts cancels last three performances 15 March 2020
The New Zealand Festival of the Arts has cancelled the last three performances scheduled for its final day Sunday 15 March due to the rapidly changing situation around Covid-19 and public events in Wellington.
The cancelled performances are Slapstick at 2pm, Strasbourg 1518 at 4pm and Dimanche at 5pm. All ticket holders are being informed and will receive information about refunds from Ticketmaster.
Festival Executive Director Meg Williams says the decision was hugely disappointing.
“The Festival and our artists are hugely disappointed and we are sorry that some audiences will miss out on seeing these fantastic works. However, we feel that extreme caution is the right approach in a situation that is changing so rapidly,” she said.
The cancellation of Saturday night’s performance of Strasbourg 1518 was also Covid-19 related, but that was for casting reasons, not due to fears of transmission.
Two artists involved in the Festival had been in contact with a person who has been confirmed as Covid-19 positive on Saturday morning (14 March). Both were cast members of the New Zealand Festival of the Arts show Strasbourg 1518. As soon as the diagnosis was delivered to the person on Saturday, the artists were informed and they self-isolated. The New Zealand Festival of the Arts then sought immediate advice from the Ministry of Health.
As per the Ministry of Health protocol we have been advised that one artist should remain self-isolated for 14 days, and the other did not require isolation because they were in very brief casual contact.
In addition, the Festival was advised that no-one who came into contact with the two artists in the intervening few hours was at risk of contracting the virus and had no need to self-isolate.
Saturday evening’s performance of Strasbourg 1518 was subsequently cancelled because there was insufficient time for casting adjustments to be made. This was not due to concerns around transmission of Covid-19.
The Festival is making contact with those it knows came into contact with the artists and informing them of this guidance and encouraging them to reach out to public health officials to seek further assurance if they feel they want to.
For further information or interview requests, please contact the Media Team:
Chris Brown: 027 477 9484 chris@sputnik.co.nz
Sophie Speer: 027 892 6938 sophie.speer@festival.co.nz
![24. MÁM_©_Ros Kavanagh_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/24._MAM__Ros_Kavanagh_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
New Zealand Festival of the Arts media release
![89. Who are we now_©__NZF20_1200 x 628 V2.jpg](/media/images/89._Who_are_we_now___NZF20_1200_x_628_V2.width-800.jpg)
NZFOTA Writers programme media release
![3. Aldous Harding Weyes Blood Purple Pilgrims_©_Clare Shilland_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/3._Aldous_Harding__Weyes_Blood__Purple_Pilgrim.width-800.jpg)
Aldous Harding, Weyes Blood, Purple Pilgrims
Download media materials here.
![4. Black Ties_©_Garth Oriander_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/4._Black_Ties__Garth_Oriander_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Black Ties
Download media materials here.
![6. Chosen and Beloved_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/6._Chosen_and_Beloved___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Chosen and Beloved
Download media materials here.
![7. Cloud Pink_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/7._Cloud_Pink___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Cloud Pink
Download media materials here.
![9. Concert for Dogs_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/9._Concert_for_Dogs___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Concert for Dogs
Download media materials here.
![8. Dimanche_©_Alice Piemme_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/8._Dimanche__Alice_Piemme_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Dimanche
Download media materials here.
![10. Eight Songs for a Mad King_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/10._Eight_Songs_for_a_Mad_King___NZF20_1200_x_.width-800.jpg)
Eight Songs for a Mad King
Download media materials here.
![5c. Estere_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/5c._Estere_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Estere
Download media material here.
![13. Glass_Richter_Järvi_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/13._Glass_Richter_Jarvi___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Glass - Richter - Järvi
Download media materials here.
![14. Here Comes the Ocean_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/14._Here_Comes_the_Ocean___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Here Comes the Ocean
Download media materials here.
![15. Hōkioi me te Vwōhali – from spirit eagles land_©_John McDermott _NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/15._Hokioi_me_te_Vwohali__from_spirit_eagles_l.width-800.jpg)
Hōkioi me te Vwōhali – From spirit eagles land
Download media materials here.
![16. In Search of Dinozord_©_Steve Gunther @CalartsREDCAT_NZF20_1200 x 628 (2).jpg](/media/images/16._In_Search_of_Dinozord__Steve_Gunther_Calar.width-800.jpg)
In Search of Dinozord
Download media materials here.
![18. Jerusalem سدقلا_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/18.__Jerusalem_sdql___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Jerusalem
Download media materials here.
![19. Kate Tempest_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/19._Kate_Tempest___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Kate Tempest
Download media materials here.
![20. Kopernikus – Opéra-rituel de mort - check one line or two_©_Vincent Pontet _NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/20._Kopernikus__Opera-rituel_de_mort_-_check_o.width-800.jpg)
Kopernikus – Opéra-rituel de mort
Download media materials here.
![23. Lou Reed Drones _©_Da Ping Luo_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/23._Lou_Reed_Drones___Da_Ping_Luo_NZF20_1200_x.width-800.jpg)
Lou Reed Drones
Download media materials here.
![24. MÁM_©_Ros Kavanagh_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/24._MAM__Ros_Kavanagh_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
MÁM
Download media materials here.
![25. Mr Red Light_©_ _NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/25._Mr_Red_Light____NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Mr Red Light
Download media materials here.
![5a. Nadia Reid_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/5a._Nadia_Reid_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Nadia Reid
Download media materials here.
![26. Netherlands Chamber Choir_©_Foppe Schut_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/26._Netherlands_Chamber_Choir__Foppe_Schut_NZF.width-800.jpg)
Netherlands Chamber Choir
Programme 1 and 2
Download media materials here.
![30. Rhiannon Giddens_©_Karen Cox_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/30._Rhiannon_Giddens__Karen_Cox_NZF20_1200_x_6.width-800.jpg)
Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
Download media materials here.
![31. Secrets of Sea and Space_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/31._Secrets_of_Sea_and_Space___NZF20_1200_x_62.width-800.jpg)
Secrets of Sea and Space
Download media materials here.
![5b. Shades of Shakti_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/5b._Shades_of_Shakti_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Shades of Shakti
Download media materials here.
![32. Släpstick_©_Jaap Reedijk_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/32._Slapstick__Jaap_Reedijk_NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Släpstick
Download media materials here.
![33. Strasbourg 1518_©_Alex Efimoff_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/33._Strasbourg_1518__Alex_Efimoff_NZF20_1200_x.width-800.jpg)
Strasbourg 1518
Download media materials here.
![Kara Jackon Te Ata.jpg](/media/images/kara_1-6-1_BVkIZ0Z.width-800.jpg)
Te Ata
Download media resources here
![36. The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/36._The_Brief_and_Frightening_Reign_of_Phil___.width-800.jpg)
The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil
Download media materials here.
![21. The Calling_©_Jan Schulz # Webdesigner Stuttgart_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/21._The_Calling__Jan_Schulz__Webdesigner_Stutt.width-800.jpg)
The Calling
Download media materials here.
![37. The New Pornographers_©__NZF20_1200 x 628 (2).jpg](/media/images/37._The_New_Pornographers___NZF20_1200_x_628_2.width-800.jpg)
The New Pornographers
Download media materials here.
![38. To The Moon_©__NZF20_1200 x 628 (2).jpg](/media/images/38._To_The_Moon___NZF20_1200_x_628_2.width-800.jpg)
To The Moon
Download media materials here.
![39. Trois Grandes Fugues_©_Stofleth_NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/39._Trois_Grandes_Fugues__Stofleth_NZF20_1200_.width-800.jpg)
Trois Grandes Fugues
Download media materials here.
![40. Urban Hut Club_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/40._Urban_Hut_Club___NZF20_1200_x_628.width-800.jpg)
Urban Hut Club
Download media materials here.
![61. Close Listening A Conversation with Laurie Anderson_©__NZF20_1200 x 628.jpg](/media/images/61._Close_Listening_A_Conversation_with_Laurie.width-800.jpg)
Writers
Download media materials for all Writers here.
![The Human Voice](/media/images/TheHumanVoice_NZAFA_ShareBannerForSocial_2133x.width-500.jpg)
The Human Voice
Download media materials here.