The Digital Conversation

The Digital Conversation: A Morning of Panel Discussions for Arts industry
Creating Authentic Content, Engaging Audiences and Influencing your own career

Hosted by Nī Dekkers-Reihana
Saturday 18 March, starting at 9am at Hannah Playhouse

Free tickets, limited spaces – please register through Eventfinda to attend.

Key Timings & further details:
8.30am Arrival & registration & coffee
9.00am Welcome & Opening - host Nī Dekkers-Reihana (Ngā Puhi, Ngai Tuteauru)

9.15am BEING AUTHENTIC ONLINE (75 MIN)
Panel hosted by Tom Sainsbury, with Theo Shakes, Janaye Henry (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa) and Chris Parker
A discussion about what authenticity means for online content, with creators that have a clear and authentic digital presence, and who make creative content for engaged audiences. Following Tom Sainsbury’s huge success online (even announcing one politician’s resignation), he will lead the panel in a conversation about influencers v content creators, nurturing online community, keeping healthy boundaries, dealing with negativity, algorithm wins and warnings, and how to keep creating authentic content.

10.30am MORNING TEA (provided)

10.45am TECHNICAL & CREATIVE CONSIDERATIONS (60 MIN)
During COVID-19 lockdowns, Wairere Iti (Ngāi Tūhoe, Tainui & Te Arawa), was experimenting and improving on how to bring live performance and artist engagement into our homes. The Vodafone Lounge Jams brought together some of the country's top musicians for a series of live streamed performances from Tiki Taane, Stan Walker, Dave Dobbyn, Hollie Smith, The Beths and Jon Toogood. Wairere was behind it all, figuring out the technical challenges of broadcasting live performances from artists' homes and ensuring that each artist was set up with the right equipment. Lockdowns are over, but being able to reach and engage with your audience in new ways is always important.
In this session, Wairere will take us through these experiences and more, explaining some of the experimentations and key learnings, as well as providing guidance on technical equipment, the importance of sound, and the best ways to set yourself up.

11.45am INFLUENCING YOUR OWN CAREER (75 - 90 MIN)
Hosted by Tessa Waters, with Perlina Lau (Flat 3, Creamerie), Tom Sainsbury and Emily Writes (Rants in the Dark, Emily Writes Weekly)
Live streams and prerecords, blogs and zoom performances, content creator deals and subscribers… all these tools have enabled creatives to find and engage with their own audience, and in some cases to create new revenue streams for their creative career. Tessa Waters has spent years touring successful shows internationally and wonders if rising costs and climate change means it’s time to take another look online. She will lead the panel in conversation with some practitioners that have managed to use digital to create new opportunities for themselves.

1.15pm WRAP UP & REFLECTION (15 MIN)
We will wind up our morning, and time-permitting we’ll reflect as a group on some of the key insights.

NB. Content and speakers subject to change in this time of Covid-19 and big weather.