TAHI Charitable Trust

Chair

She/Her

I completed a diploma of Performing Arts Drama at EIT, a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Theatre at University of Waikato and a Masters Of Theatre Arts from Victoria University and Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School. I was then employed at Hawke’s Bay Opera House as the Tech and Ops Coordinator and moved to Arts Programming Manager over 2007-2011, then I moved to Oamaru where I was the Director of the Oamaru Opera House focusing on building the presence of the venue within the community. I moved to Tauranga as the Manager of Baycourt Theatre where I developed a curated programme of events and worked on creating a venue that is accessible to the whole community. I moved back to Hastings to take up the role of Manager of Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre where I was involved in the earthquake strengthening and refurbishment project and the re-opening of the centre after 6 years of being closed. My current role at Hastings District Council is as Manager Arts & Culture, managing Toitoi, the Hastings Art Gallery and driving the establishment of an arts and culture division within Council, working to raise the profile and advocacy for arts and culture internally, and externally on a local, regional, national and international level. Along with my role on the TAHI board I am also on the board of PANNZ (Performing Arts Network of NZ) and a member of Te Rōpū Mana Toi, Creative New Zealand’s arts advocacy advisory group.

Trustee

He/Him

James has worked in the Arts, Culture and Creativity sector since moving to Aotearoa in 2005. James is currently working as a funding coach for Funding HQ, supporting a wide range of arts, culture, and heritage organisations to grow their capability and capacity across funding, sponsorship, and private philanthropy. Prior to this role, James was Arts, Culture and Heritage Manager for Tauranga City Council. James has worked in leadership roles for a range of arts organisations, including as Manager for Baycourt Community and Arts Centre, Chief Executive for Q Theatre, and General Manager for Massive Theatre Company. Originally from Maidenhead in Southeast England, James trained as a theatre director at Rose Bruford Drama School in Greenwich, South East London, and worked for a variety of arts venues in London, including the Lyric Hammersmith, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and The Orange Tree Theatre. James served on the executive board of the Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ), co-chairing the organisation for four years. As part of his work with PANNZ, James was involved in the development and launch of NZ's National arts touring agency, 'TourMakers', and worked closely with the executive and management team of PANNZ to grow the annual arts market into a key event for festivals, producers, and venues, both in NZ and Internationally. James is a 2013 Alumni of the Leadership New Zealand programme, a trustee of the Incubator Creative Hub in Tauranga, and on the board of the Alzheimer’s society Western Bay of Plenty. James is passionate about creating opportunities for young and emerging artists to develop their craft and bring their stories to wider audiences. He is an advocate for the arts in all forms and its ability to bring communities together.

Trustee

She/He/ia

Jthan - Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Magiagi, Sapapāli'i, Lotofaga - is a Wellington based performer, producer, choreographer, and drag queen. Known for creating and headlining Māori drag girl group; 'The Tiwhas!', Circa Theatre's annual pantomimes, and touring the motu with theatre for children; Jthan is no stranger to the stages of New Zealand’s theatres, most recently performing in 'Cringeworthy; Swinging in the 60's!' at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North. Jthan is also one of the founding members of Ghostlight Productions and was also the 2022 recipient of the Campion Accolade for Outstanding Performance at the Wellington Theatre Awards. Jthan's previous TAHI experience was as a writer in ONO at Circa Theatre 2023.

Trustee

She/Her

My name is Moira Fortin, I am an actress, dancer and lecturer at Languages and Cultures at the University of Otago in Aotearoa/New Zealand where I am currently living. I completed a PhD In Theatre Studies (2016 - Victoria University of Wellington), where I looked at the interplay of ‘traditional’ cultural elements in the creation of contemporary Rapa Nui, Māori and Samoan theatre. I hold a Master of Arts in Pacific Island Studies (2010 - University of Otago ) and a Bachelor’s degree in Acting (2003) from Universidad Católica in Chile. I am the author of the book Rapa Nui Theatre: Staging Indigenous Identities in Easter Island (2023), which examines the relationships between theatrical productions and socio-political aspects of Rapa Nui culture from precolonial times to the present. My current research interest relates to translation, linguistically and physically, performing in La Panamericana (2019), the Spanish version of The Motorway (2017, 2018, 2019), a bilingual and intercultural take on Cortázar’s La Autopista del Sur, investigating how the change of language affects the acting, the movement, and the overall production of the play.

Trustee

He/Him

Borni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho (Tūhoe, Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa, Whakatohea)- is a theatre and festival producer, director, singer/musician, film and theatre actor, and is a national arts sector strategy & wellness consultant. He actively produces alongside his brother Tainui Tukiwaho, founder of Te Pou Theatre (the Auckland home for Māori theatre) https://www.tepoutheatre.nz/ closing a successful production of award winning show The Sun and the Wind at Circa Theatre in late 2023. It will be appearing at the Auckland Arts Festival in 2024 before undertaking a five centre North Island tour. Unapologetically leading from his cultural roots, all aspects of his work are anchored in his whānau understanding of tikanga, placing Te Ao Māori at the centre. Alongside his brother, he will be presenting Tainuis’ series of whakapapa iwi stories from 2024 starting with The Best of Tūhoe: Tutakngāhau (2024/25) and leading into Te Arawa: Rangiteaorere (2025/26), followed by Tuwharetoa: Haehaeora (2026/27).

Trustee

She/Her

Fay Van Der Meulen is a Freelance Performing Arts Manager based in Pōneke, Wellington. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Theatre from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington where she excelled in Producing and Production Management.

Since leaving university, she has performed at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival; founded the Fringe-award-winning production company Blue Flicker Productions; produced and managed a touring production across the South Island; led marketing campaigns for TAHI New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance and The Performance Arcade; worked on the Stage Management team for WOW World of Wearablearts, managed the Box Office at Circa Theatre, toured work to both national and international Fringe Festivals, and much more. Fay has produced a plethora of productions in the New Zealand Fringe Festival where she now works as the Artist and Venue manager.

Trustee

She/Her

Bex Martelletti (Te Ātiawa Taranaki) is an arts and entertainment publicist based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Media Studies from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and a Bachelor of Broadcast Communications in Radio from Ara Institute of Canterbury.

She has extensive publicity, event and arts industry experience, with over fifteen years’ experience in the communications, marketing and media industries and has worked with Silo Theatre, Q Theatre, Basement Theatre, Auckland Pride Festival, ATC, Auckland Arts Festival, Auckland Live, Live Nation, TEG and many more.

Previously she has worked at Elephant Publicity and Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum and currently is the Group Head of Publicity, Head of Music, Touring and Exhibition at 818 Publicity.

She has a desire to give back to communities she is passionate about. An advocate for mental wellbeing and womxn and an avid arts supporter, Bex is also currently enrolled with AUT and on her journey to reconnect with her whakapapa through tikanga and te reo Māori.