Auckland's Pasifika Festival is facing a backlash from those who pushed for it in the first place - with some threatening to boycott the event.

Eight thousand people gathered at Hagley Park in Christchurch yesterday for the final of the biennial Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival.

Graham Reid speaks to English folk-rock veteran Richard Thompson about his return to Womad.

A wild 24 hours delayed a Cricket World Cup clash, brought flooding to Wellington and the South Island and forced the postponement of a music festival.

The Polynesian Panthers - incensed by the police's dawn raids on Pacific Island families in Ponsonby and Grey Lynn searching for overstayers.

A sea of black T-shirts, jeans and leather jackets welcomed punters at Auckland's second Westfest festival. Chris Schulz and Rachel Bache take in the darkness.

Danik Abishev was born in the circus "I really didn't have a choice about becoming a performer," he says.

Fanfare Ciocarlia are bringing a blast of Balkan brass to the 'Naki for Womad next month. Garth Cartwright profiles the group and its humble Romanian beginnings.

Nestled in beautiful Tapapakanga Park Splore festival became annual for the first time this year, and it seems the move was a very successful one, write Lydia Jenkins and Rachel Bache.

Mr Scruff's signature style is all cups of tea, potato animation and marathon mixes, finds Lydia Jenkin.

With the ongoing diet of gallery exhibitions, theatre and comedy, Auckland's creative offering rivals any of the world's great international cities, writes Heather Shotter.

This year Sundance has impressed moviegoers, critics and industry buyers alike with a 118-feature selection that suggests a new surge of confidence in American independent cinema.

Didn’t get to go to Laneway? Missing the Big Day Out? NZ On Screen Content Director Irene Gardiner re-visits some of the legendary Kiwi music festivals of the past.

Did the lack of a Big Day Out go unnoticed this year? Or were you in a puddle of tears on January 16? Chris Schulz and Lydia Jenkin share their thoughts.

Pictures of the artists who performed at the 2015 Laneway Festival in Auckland. Photos courtesy of Laneway and Jonathan Pilkington.

If there's a year that Laneway has come of age, mark it down as this one.

Live music, fireworks, nearly all the oysters in the country and chainsaw-juggling buskers with a backdrop of three days of spectacular weather: Auckland's 175th Anniversary.

Today's fifth Laneway Festival in New Zealand is a sell-out.

They're one of 2014's hottest new rap acts, and they'll be heating up Laneway by performing inside a silo. Chris Schulz talks to New York rap trio Ratking.

Lydia Jenkin talks to Josh Lloyd-Watson, founder of one of the hottest bands of 2014.

On the back of debut album Goddess, US singer-songwriter Banks will bring her smokey, gravelly tones to Laneway, writes Lydia Jenkin.

They're the loudest act on Laneway's bill, but rowdy rockers Royal Blood are just two people. The hyped British act talks to Chris Schulz.

Two decades on, high school friends Little Dragon are still living their dreams.

The enigmatic Connan Mockasin's strange but sexy sounds will draw you in to his weird world. He talks to Lydia Jenkin.