Ata marie arts lovers, and happy Maori language week. It’s Leah here – your official festival blogger. We already have something in common because I love the arts with all my heart (and also rhyming. Love me some Doctor Seuss.) The arts transport us to other worlds- no boat or plane required. If you’ve got all or most of your basic faculties - plus some imagination – you’re good to go.

During the day I teach music, dance and drama. I like to remind my students that the arts allow us to be ‘somewhere else’, or ‘someone else’. In October, our city will have the opportunity to do this in style. The Tauranga Arts Festival is going to bring us ten days of world class theatre, dance, music, visual arts, circus, and more… I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! No expensive plane tickets, no changing lanes on the Auckland motorway….. just incredible art, brightening up our own back yard.

Speaking of bright, I’m especially looking forward to the Exxopolis experience. Exxopolis is a luminarium- like an aquarium, but instead of holding water it holds light – 1000 square meters of light, to be exact. For those of us with mild to extreme S. A.D. (also known as I Hate Winter), this is going to be heaven! It will also delight the kids who always wondered what it would be like to be inside a kaleidoscope. So if you want to enter this world of light and colour, get some tickets. It will definitely brighten your day. And it has tunnels. Lots of tunnels with light at the end of them. Fun.

In other news, a little rabbit told me that the Incubator is contributing an exhibition called the House of Cards – and a walk-through Wonderland- to celebrate the 150th birthday of Alice. I may have even come across a preview of one of the giant teacups. Giant teacups! It’s going to be good. I’ll see you there.

Arohanui,

Leah

“Congratulations! Today is your day.

You’re off to great places- you’re off and away.

You have brains in your head, and feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose…” – Dr Seuss