Dance Audience Development Tāmaki Makaurau
Image credit: Freshmans Crew
Partnering Across the Sector to Deepen Engagement and Access
The Dance Audience Tāmaki Collective is a regional initiative convened by the New Zealand Dance Festival Trust to strengthen how we grow, understand, and engage dance audiences across Tāmaki Makaurau. It brings together presenters, programmers, producers, and venue partners to explore shared strategies in an increasingly complex cultural landscape.
Formed in late 2025, the Collective responds to common sector challenges around affordability, accessibility, programming coordination, and cross-artform engagement. It acknowledges that audience development cannot sit with one organisation alone. It is a shared responsibility, requiring shared insight and collective vision.
Our first hui was held in November 2025, hosted at Auckland Arts Festival HQ, and attended by representatives from Atamira Dance Company, Auckland Live, Q Theatre, Basement Theatre, Touch Compass, New Zealand Dance Company, and NZDFT. The kōrero was rich and honest, surfacing eight key themes including pricing realities, access protocols, risk appetite, presentation scale, and the need for coordinated action.
Looking ahead, the Collective will continue to meet and grow, with the next hui planned for early 2026. Future areas of focus include shared audience insight tools, collaborative programming opportunities, and sector-wide audience pathways. NZDFT is proud to lead this work and hold space for new possibilities to emerge together.
Want to be involved?
The Dance Audience Tāmaki Collective welcomes presenters, producers, marketers, venues, and organisations who are committed to growing and sustaining dance audiences in Tāmaki Makaurau.
If you’re interested in joining the kaupapa, attending future hui, or accessing our shared online platform, we’d love to connect.
Please use the form below to get in touch. Let us know who you are and how you’d like to be involved, and we’ll follow up with next steps.