The Guerrilla Collection is a free arts festival, founded in 2018 by Black Grace’s Artistic Director Neil Ieremia.
The inaugural festival was launched in November 2018 and held at the ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland. Taking place in the largest Pacific city in the world, The Guerrilla Collection unites Pacific artists from across multiple disciplines to create fresh, engaging and excellent Pacific art in collaboration with Black Grace dance artists. The Guerrilla Collection pioneered a new way of presenting our work to everyone and anyone. In true guerrilla spirit, we disrupted and challenged the way art could be made and shared.
In 2021, The Guerrilla Collection moved to an online platform, running youth competitions, access to free dance videos, resources, and more.
2022 marked the second year of The Guerrilla Collection online.
Now, following a 6 year hiatus The Guerrilla Collection returns Saturday, November 23 with ‘A Niu Dawn’, a FREE one day, pocket festival at Te Pou Theatre and Corban Estate Arts Centre in Henderson.
‘A Niu Dawn’ brings together a diverse group of Moana Oceania Artists and community groups focused on celebrating our lives here in Aotearoa since the Dawn Raids.
30 minute original works will run on the hour, along with live music, food trucks, a dedicated kids programme, as well as providing free health information to anyone who needs it.
With leadership from Neil Ieremia, ONZM, Lead Programming by Leki Jackson-Bourke, and music programming led by Faiumu Matthew Salapu (aka Anonymouz), ‘A Niu Dawn’ will showcase the following artists; renowned actors and directors Anapela Polata’ivao, ONZM & Vela Manusaute, South Auckland Pacific Dance Theatre Company Sau E Siva Creatives, Pacific Theatre Company Strictly Brown, poet Daren Kamali, Tuvaluan dancer Molia Alama-Tulufono, film-makers Benji Timu & Josiah Tualamali'i, Māori performing arts practitioner, choreographer and artistic director Kura Te Ua, actor, sculptor, and cultural and Iwi advocate Pita Turei, and Neil Ieremia will present a Black Grace work.
Unlike anything else, The Guerrilla Collection provides a unparalleled level of access with the festival being free for all.
‘A Niu Dawn’ will see a creative collision of unexpected pairings, working to discuss and reframe the narrative of the Dawn Raids from a very urban perspective, to process some of the pain and enable our communities to focus on a hopeful and prosperous future for all people of Moana Oceania.
The Guerrilla Collection presents
A NIU DAWN
DATE: Saturday, November 23
VENUE: Te Pou Theatre, Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson, Auckland
TIME: 10.00am-8.30pm
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