NZ

Kōanga Festival

The Kōanga Festival is an 11-day annual celebration of Māori performing arts held at Te Pou Theatre in Henderson, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), New Zealand, from September 10 to 20, 2026. The festival showcases a diverse program including music, theatre, spoken word, comedy, and visual arts, with a focus on championing Māori and Pacific artists and developing new Māori performance.

Date
Sep 10-20, 2026
Location
Henderson
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NZ
Kōanga Festival
Date
Sep 10-20, 2026
Location
Henderson
Māori Culture Performing Arts Theatre

Event summary

Highlights

  • Tākiritia opening night featuring te reo Māori opera, waiata, poetry and prose
  • Free Whānau Day with cultural performances, workshops, market stalls, and kai vendors
  • Showcasing new Māori and Pacific stage productions and artists
  • Celebrating diverse Māori and Pacific creative excellence across multiple disciplines
The Kōanga Festival, named for the te reo Māori word for spring, signifying growth and the cultivation of new ideas, is Aotearoa's annual celebration of Māori performing arts. For eleven days, from September 10 to 20, 2026, the festival will be primarily hosted at Te Pou Theatre in Henderson, Tāmaki Makaurau.

Now in its 12th year, Kōanga Festival is dedicated to championing the next generation of Māori storytellers alongside established artists. The program features a rich variety of live experiences, including music, theatre, spoken word, comedy, and visual arts. It provides a significant platform for new Māori performance, having supported numerous new whakaari (plays) and kaituhi (writers) since its inception.

Key highlights include Tākiritia, the opening night presented in partnership with the New Zealand Opera, which celebrates te reo Māori through opera, waiata, poetry, and prose. The free Whānau Day transforms Te Pou Theatre and Corban Estate Arts Centre into a vibrant community hub, offering cultural performances, theatre shows, storytelling, market stalls, kai vendors, workshops, street dance, and kapa haka for all ages.

Practical details

Location described by the source
Te Pou Theatre
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Area for browsing nearby events
Henderson

Before attending

Check the sources below for current opening times, admission prices and registration requirements. A date range does not mean the event runs continuously or that admission is free.

Sources and further information

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Location map

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