Whakapuāwai is an annual programme offering opportunities for development and connection for the Māori performing arts community.
This workshop is a practical session focussing on vocal technique for stage and screen. It will include approaches to warming up, breathing technique, vocal support, vocal health, and an investigation into the relationship between voice and text – with tools for preparation and performance.
Āhea | When: Saturday 28 June, 10am – 3pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who:Māori and Moana Nui performers – all levels
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
An opportunity for Māori kaituhi to kōrero and start developing whakaari i te reo Māori. Join us for these wānanga to kickstart or continue to develop a script in an informal and supportive environment.
Āhea | When: Postponed – new dates coming soon!
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Māori Creative Community
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
In this immersive poetry workshop for our Maōri and Moana Nui members, you will explore your authentic voices through a blend of writing exercises, group discussion, and reflective practice. Together, the group will focus on how tapping into your unique self-expression can expand your creative capacity, allowing your work to resonate with clarity, power, and emotional truth. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or new to poetry, this workshop invites you to discover and celebrate your voice in ways that can deepen your connection to your art—and to others.
Āhea | When: Saturday 2 August, 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who:Māori and Moana Nui performers – all levels
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
An introductory wānanga about getting the accounting basics right as a sole trader. If you’re a contractor juggling multiple kaupapa, this practical wānanga is for you.
Join Navi and Melissa from WE Accounting as they break down:– Sole trader 101s
– Tax and GST
– GST registration
– KiwiSaver
– Other thorny financial issues
Walk away with clarity and confidence to manage your money, stay compliant, and grow your mahi.
Delivered in partnership with WE Accounting — Auckland-based accountants passionate about enhancing the mana for Māori and Pacific. Proudly supported by the ANZ Staff Foundation.
Āhea | When: Saturday 9 August, 10am – 2pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Performing arts whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau. This wānanga is specifically aimed at freelancers and contractors who are still keen to solidify the basics.
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
Have that brilliant whakaaro and just need the pūtea to get it on stage? Then this is the workshop for you! Join Amber Curreen for a grant writing workshop.
Focusing on Creative New Zealand’s Creative Impact Fund (due 25 Sept 2025), this workshop will offer practical advice and guidance to tackle an application. From where to start, key tips and some do’s and don’ts, come away equipped with some tools to get that next application in.
Perfect for Māori performing arts practitioners who aiming to submit a Creative Impact Grant, whether this is your first application or you’ve got some experience.
Āhea | When: Saturday 23 August, 10am – 12pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Māori & Moana Nui performing arts whānau submitting a grant application
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
Got an awesome idea but need to make and manage the budget to get it out there? This Budget Building and Management wānanga is for you!
Te Pou Theatre has partnered with award-winning producer Vanessa Immink, founder of VOLT, to take us through her tips, advice and rationale when building a show budget and then managing the budget across the delivery period. The wānanga will include some practical examples to work through too. Proudly supported by the ANZ Staff Foundation.
Āhea | When: Saturday 30 August, 10am – 1pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Performing arts whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau. This wānanga is specifically aimed at our performing arts whānau who are still building their confidence in budget building and budget management who are keen to learn more.
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
This kōrero is all about sharing advice on making performing arts on tight budgets.
Join us for a special evening of sharing from a range of performing arts creatives about their top tips for doing lots with not much.
Producers and arts makers will share their real life experiences of making performing arts on a tight budget.
We will hear from Cian Parker (arts maker and current General Manager of The Meteor), Anders Falstie-Jensen (producer, writer & director for The Rebel Alliance) and Poe Tiare Tararo (theatre & film maker, as well as Boosted X Moana and E Tū Toi Mentor) before a facilitated kōrero with Amber Curreen. There will be some time for questions and answers, so come curious! Proudly supported by the ANZ Staff Foundation.
Āhea | When: Tues 30 Sept, 6.30 – 8.30pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Performing arts whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
Juggling multiple projects and it’s starting to get a bit much? Been running as a sole trader and wondering what’s next? This wānanga is for you.
Join Navi and Melissa from WE Accounting as they guide an open, practical kōrero exploring the strategic steps to moving beyond contracting – and whether setting up an entity is the right next step.
We’ll explore:
You’ll walk away feeling equipped and empowered to decide if setting up an entity aligns with your kaupapa – and what steps to take if it does.
Delivered in partnership with WE Accounting — Auckland-based accountants passionate about enhancing the mana for Māori and Pacific. Proudly supported by the ANZ Staff Foundation.
Āhea | When: Sat 4 Oct, 10am – 2pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Performing arts whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
Join us monthly for Waiata Sessions with Aleesha-Tia Taua as part of our Whakapuawai Programme! These sessions are an opportunity to come together, whakawhanaungatanga and learn a new waiata Māori to add to your kete. Guiding participants through our waiata sessions is the manu tioriori Aleesha-Tia Taua. Waiata sessions are held monthly on Mondays over 2025.
Āhea | When: Mondays (monthly) 16 Jun, 7 Jul, 4 Aug, 1 Sep, 6 Oct & 3 Nov, 6-7:30pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Māori creatives, but all who come are welcome!
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
This free two day workshop offers theatre training for young people aged 14-25 years. Suitable for all levels of experience, it’s led by two professional teaching artists from the Massive teaching team. You will learn a wide range of theatre foundation skills and techniques, and explore different ways of making theatre pieces using your own ideas and stories. The workshop runs from 10am to 4pm each day.
TEACHING ARTISTS: Denyse Su’a and Manunui Rainey
Denyse Su’a is an educator, creative practitioner and ‘maker of things’. Denyce has been a member of Massive Theatre Company since 2012, and has trained as an actor, director and teaching artist with the company. She performed in The Wholehearted (2016-2017) and The Island, which toured to the National Theatre of Scotland Youth Exchange Programme in 2016. She loves collaborative spaces where ideas can be let loose, and magic can be found. Theatre’s the perfect space for all that goodness to happen.
Manunui Rainey is an actor hailing from a little town called Tūrangi. He graduated from Unitec in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing and Screen Arts. Manu joined Massive at the start of 2023 through a Foundations workshop, and has been a member of Massive Nui Ensemble ever since. He recently performed in Massive’s 2024 production of Te Ao Hou, and is taking part in Massive’s Directors Lab 2024.
Āhea | When: Wed 1 Oct 2025 & Thur 2 Oct 2025, 10am – 4pm each day
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
– Richard Te Are
We are grateful to have various organizations, businesses and people supporting many different aspects of Te Pou. We couldn’t achieve what we have without their support. Our Whakapuāwai Programme is sponsored by the following:
