We caught up with Jason Te Mete, Artistic Director of Tuatara Collective

Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hangarau, Pirirākau and Ngai te Rangi,) delivering festival highlight Waiata Mai since 2023 with the Tuatara Collective but he’s also brought his unique talents to other performances we’ve had the pleasure to enjoy.

This year is no different as after rave reviews in Auckland, his play, Tāne Rore will be performed in the X Space at Baycourt.

Let's be honest: presenting an annual 11-day Arts Festival is not for the faint hearted. Costs keep rising, and there's always pressure to do more with less. But Tauranga Arts Festival is committed to bringing our community a multidisciplinary event every year, one that offers diverse, high-quality arts experiences, expands minds, delights audiences, and reaches every corner of our increasingly diverse Tauranga Moana community over its 11 days.

The much-loved American singer, with the distinctive raspy voice, will perform at Baycourt on the festival’s opening night, Thursday, October 22 at 8pm.

If you think you know what to expect from a live performance, think again. Cirque Bon Bon is flipping the script on traditional circus and cabaret, and this October, Tauranga gets to see what all the hype is about.

Multi award-winning country and soul singer/songwriter Tami Neilson is adding Tauranga to an exclusive list of New Zealand performances this year.

In what’s being considered a major coup for the local art scene, Tauranga Arts Festival is to become an annual event.