Culture Bites

Culture Bites highlights the great things that are happening around our region – from arts and music, to foodie events and major festivals. If you would like to be considered for this column, email a brief summary to arts@thepost.co.nz

Teen on shortlist for award

A 16-year-old Kāpiti Coast student is among the writers and illustrators announced today as finalists in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the pre-eminent celebration of books for Aotearoa’s young readers. Arlo Kelly, one of the awards’ youngest ever finalists, is vying for the NZSA Best First Book Award with his debut novel Echo. A wealth of talent has been recognised by this year’s shortlist, including established names like Witi Ihimaera, Donovan Bixley and Kate De Goldi alongside familiar faces like Jason Gunn and Fifi Colston. Twenty-nine finalists offer Aotearoa’s young readers an educative, engaging and engrossing selection of books with

a uniquely local flavour. The winners of each of the six main categories – Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, NonFiction, Illustration and te reo Māori – will take home $7500 and are then in the running to be named the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, with a further $7500 prize money. The judges will also award a Best First Book prize of $2500 to a previously unpublished author or illustrator. The ceremony to announce the winners will take place in Wellington on August 10.

Last Laughs airs tonight

The public will be able to watch the three nominees for this year’s Fred Award compete at the final showcase of Last Laughs!, hosted by Chris Parker tonight. The award goes to the best New Zealand show in this year’s NZ International Comedy Festival, and is one of the highest commendations in Aotearoa’s comedy industry. Named in honour of the late comedy icon John Clarke’s legendary Kiwi character Fred Dagg, the Fred Award was introduced in 2006 and recognises the festival’s best show by a New Zealand comedian. Previous winners have included Rose Matafeo, James Nokise, Chris Parker, Rhys Darby, and the 2021 reigning winner, Eli Matthewson. The finalists for this year were Brendon Green for I’m Happy You’re Here, Guy Montgomery for My Brain Is Blowing My Crazy, and Jamaine Ross for Vaguely Familiar. Last Laughs! airs tonight on Three.