Alumni

SGCNZ Alumni can be found in all sectors of society, benefiting from the life-long learning experiences which they gained at an early age. Many are contributing to the arts fabric of life in New Zealand and internationally in various capacities: on stage, screen, behind the scenes, in arts administration, and even in the Weta Oscar winning team. The skills are transferable and open doors to a myriad of career pathways, not just in the arts.

Read about some of our alumni below:

Angela Green

Angela has been working professionally in the performing arts sector since 2003 after graduating from Toi Whakaari as a Museum Hotel Scholarship recipient. Part way through 2012 she made the move to Auckland after 12 years in Wellington, to take up a new role as Producer at Auckland’s Q Theatre. Her responsibility is to programme the year’s shows, and manage the artists and companies who intersect with theatre’s business.

Prior to Q, Angela was the Manager of Programming at Downstage. During her time there she developed a number of new programmes, including refining a resident company programme, Soundstage music sessions and was the originating producer for FixTV.

While Angela works firmly on the business and management side of things at Q, she is committed to working towards a vibrant and sustainable performing arts culture in New Zealand, and promoting creativity as a valued attribute in all areas of society and business.

Arthur Meek

Arthur was part of the 1999 SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company and worked as an intern at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2000.  He graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2006 and has since written a steady stream of  award-winning work for stage and screen. His career took off following a national tour of  On the Conditions and Possibilities of Helen Clark Taking Me as Her Young Lover (2008),  and he received a record 9 nominations at the 2009 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards for Collapsing Creation, a play based on the life of Charles Darwin. In 2011 his play On The Upside Down of the World  garnered full houses and rave reviews as part of Auckland Theatre Company’s main bill. He was awarded the Bruce Mason Playwrighting Award the same year, and this year became the third recipient of the Harriet Freidlander New York residency which allows him to spend a year writing in the big apple from mid-2013.

Steph Walker

Steph has built a reputation as a leader in arts curation, management and marketing in New Zealand, although she is now based in Sydney, Australia, as General Manager of interdisciplinary arts agency Performance Space. As General Manager & Assistant Director of the Christchurch Arts Festival (2010-12) Steph produced a highly successful multi-disciplinary arts event within a very challenging environment. Prior to this role she was the Programme Manager & co-General Manager at BATS Theatre in Wellington, NZ (2008-10), where she curated a programme of new and emerging companies and their works. Steph has also been a performer, designer, writer and producer for the past 12 years. She holds her Masters in Arts Management with Distinction from the University of Greenwich (UK). She credits her time in the SGCNZ YSC (2000) to proving that anything is possible, if you can simply think it.

If you want to read more about SGCNZ’s Alumni visit our Alumni Profiles page.