DAT FEST 2024

For an easy read version of this release, please email media.datfest@gmail.com

DAT Fest is a Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). DAT Fest is led and directed by disabled folks. We welcome the financial support and volunteership of our allies.

Venue Confirmed! Dates Confirmed! DAT Fest 2024 is officially on the calendar!

Our official venue is Te Auaha, 65 Dixon Street. Te Auaha is home to an incredible creative school that houses students studying Theatre, Film, Photography, and the arts and is now the home to DAT Fest 2024. 

Te Auaha have been super generous. Not only are they offering their 65-seater theatre Tapere Iti for shows and workshops, they’re also giving us their entire 4th floor to “take over” for the entirety of the Festival. This means we have multiple professional spaces for workshops, classes, rehearsals, and even the space to hang out and chill.

Kate Spencer (Co-Director) has already earmarked a room for a low sensory quiet zone for those who need a safe space. We can’t thank Te Auaha enough. We can now make the festival bigger and better than we’d ever hoped!

DAT Fest 2024 will launch on Saturday 2nd of November, with Orientations. Lunch and a Gala showcase, giving tasters and teasers from festival performers who shall set the tone for the rest of the fest!

DAT Fest will have a full 2-week programme ending on Sunday the 17th of November.

An important detail for DAT Fest, spearheaded by Susan Williams (Co-Director), is making sure that every person possible can enjoy this festival.

Arts Access Aotearoa has topped up the funding for DAT Fest so we can comfortably increase accessibility to Te Auaha. There are rarely any accessible parking spaces in the CBD. With Arts Access Aoteaora’s help, we are setting up multiple shuttle services from Te Papa and the Wellington Train Station in order to be able to accommodate and facilitate easier access to the festival. We want as many people as possible to attend without worrying about the cost of transport/parking/the stress of public transport. This is so important to the festival and is core to our Kaupapa of inclusion and access.

Expressions of Interest opened earlier this month, responses have been flooding in, we will keep the form open till the end of August so everyone has had equal opportunity to access this festival in the way they wish. Whether its performance, volunteering, tech, behind the scenes, there are roles for everyone disabled and allies alike.

EOI Form: https://forms.gle/PG8AFerNXfsL4Vp39

If you would like to contribute further to the work of DAT Fest and have the financial means, we welcome donations to the DAT Fest bank account: 02-1248-0617172-032

We acknowledge and are grateful to CNZ, Arts Access Aoteroa, and Te Auaha for their enormous support.

DAT Fest 2024, 2nd–17th November, Te Auaha.

Susan and Kate are both available for Media interviews, please email: media.datfest@gmail.com to arrange. We look forward to working with you.