About Us

Tauranga Arts Festival Trust is a non-profit organisation producing biennial arts festivals within the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty communities. Our vision is to provide experiences that expand minds, delight audiences and touch all corners of our community.

The Festival is 10 days of music, theatre, comedy and visual arts. Escape is delivered in alternate years to the Festival and is a readers and writers weekend with thought-provoking talks.

We aim to support our community to become vibrant, active and connected to wider Aotearoa. Attendance numbers have grown each year as people from across the country connect with our event in some way, through our school’s festival, free community events, writers talks, workshops and ticketed performances.

The variety of arts experiences along with the free community programming means there is no suggestion of arts elitism, but rather the opposite, a wonderful coming together of hearts and minds and the pleasure of shared experiences. The programme is developed to provide access to the arts and celebrate our place and the diversity of people in it – from Tangata Whenua to the newest migrants.

Our next Festival - Escape the little festival with big ideas is taking place in 2024. To keep up to date with everything to do with Escape make sure you sign up to your regular newsletter here or follow us on all social media platforms @taurangafestival