Your occupation, job title, artistic discipline (or very brief description of what you do):

I’m privileged to lead the team at Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, Tauranga’s premier performing arts facility.

What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in) beginning with the place of your birth?

I was born and raised in Auckland and lived there until I moved to Tauranga Moana with my whānau in 2018. Tauranga definitely feels like home now.

What are the earliest stories you remember hearing? The ones that told you about the world?

My dad was the greatest storyteller. His weird and wonderful imagination would keep me captivated for hours on end as a child, and decades later I still treasure those moments and how he so carefully nurtured my creative spark. While some of his stories were fantastical fiction, he would also share memories from the eight years he spent travelling the world as a young man – this was my first insight into how big, beautiful and bold the world could be.

 

What’s an average day in your life at present?

So varied! Some days I’m in back-to-back meetings discussing strategy matters, other days I’m exploring opportunities to bring shows to Tauranga, or sometimes I roll up my sleeves and help move room furniture around the venue. It all boils down to one simple purpose though – supporting my team to deliver the best possible experiences for our community and clients.

And when I’m at home you’ll most likely find me tending to our veggie patch, rustling up something in the kitchen alongside my husband, or reading.

Looking back at your teen-age self: what one sentence describes that person?

Already destined for a life in the arts in some way, shape or form.

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

So easy – roast potatoes, hands down. Cooked by Mum, of course.

 

Are there any expansion plans or initiatives for Baycourt on the horizon that you can share?

It’s a pretty exciting time for Baycourt with the construction of the civic precinct project – Te Manawataki o Te Papa (the heartbeat of Te Papa) – now underway. The development will feature a library and community hub, civic whare (public meeting house), the city’s first museum, and an exhibition gallery. We’re really looking forward to collaborating with these new facilities to contribute to a vibrant creative and cultural hub in the city centre. While Baycourt is also part of the redevelopment programme, the scope of the upgrade is still a work in progress.

In one sentence, can you define art?

The most meaningful and enduring way to connect with, highlight, reflect, challenge, and inspire the world.

Where would you like to live, but have yet to?

San Sebastián, Spain. A girl can dream!

 

Are there any upcoming events or performances at Baycourt that you’re particularly excited about?

Always! There’s a lot on offer which makes it hard to choose a couple of highlights, but I’m excited to LOL when Irish actor and comedian Ed Byrne visits us on 15 August. He never fails to put on a great show.

I’m also excited to see Battle Chorus back at Baycourt on 9 May. It’s an epic social sing-along experience that brings people together for an unforgettably entertaining night of iconic melodies and sweet harmonies.

Can you share a recent success story or memorable moment that highlights the impact of Baycourt on the community?

We’re very lucky at Baycourt that we regularly get to see the positive impact that the centre, and the people that bring it alive, have on the community.

Just recently I was sitting in the Addison Theatre enjoying the soulful sounds of Louis Baker and thinking to myself how special it was to share the experience with hundreds of strangers. We were all transported for 90 minutes, the worries of the outside world silent for a time while our hearts and minds were recharged through song. I love that the creative arts has the power to transcend and transform – not many industries could say the same.

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