Dr James Wenley

I'm currently performing 'a show for when you feel lonely.' for Wellington's NZ Fringe. Sold out so added an extra show 4pm Sun 2 Mar. Venue is my apartment! Find out more: tickets.fringe.co.nz/event/446:62... #theatre #fringe

SCENE BY JAMES: 2024 - A Theatrical Year in Review - Theatre Scenes: Aotearoa New Zealand Theatre Back when I was a callow youth, I once spent a magical summer backstage of Takapuna’s Pumphouse Theatre, working Tim Bray’s The Santa Claus Show.I had just finished my first year of uni, and this was ...

Each year for the past 15(!) years I've written an annual reflection about what happened in Aotearoa NZ theatre. Here's my 2024 Theatre Scenes Theatrical Year in Review, beginning with the sad news about the closure of Tim Bray Theatre Company. www.theatrescenes.co.nz/scene-by-jam...

NZ’s new cultural policy will be called Amplify. It is timely and needed, but not ambitious enough Responding to calls from the creative sector to introduce a national strategy, the development of Amplify is timely and needed.

New Zealand is getting a new Cultural and Creative strategy, aiming to position us as "a global creative powerhouse". Will it do the job? Here's my explainer and analysis: theconversation.com/nzs-new-cult...

What does the arts make of the government’s draft arts strategy? Dr James Wenley and Dolina Wehipeihana This month Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage released a draft for consultation of Amplify: A Creative and Cultural Strategy for New Zealand. It’s stated as a national strategy that outli...

I went on RNZ's Culture 101 show to analyse Amplify, the NZ Government's new draft Creative and Culture strategy. Big opportunity for the arts sector, but is the plan ambitious enough? www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Kia ora, I'm a theatre and performance studies academic in Aotearoa New Zealand. A grown-up theatre kid (still love musicals!), follow me for research and advocacy on the Performing Arts.