Daniel Clarke has taken the helm as Director, Performing Arts at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, heading Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest performing arts platform, Auckland Live.
This new role recognises the importance of performing arts to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and will provide a stronger focus and voice for performing arts and live entertainment at the top table of the agency that works to enrich cultural and economic life in the region, on behalf of Auckland Council.
Daniel will lead the Performing Arts team in the development and acquisition of content across the iconic Auckland Live venues, including Aotea Centre, The Civic and the Auckland Town Hall.
In addition to venue-based programming, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited has tasked Daniel with thinking about Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland as a stage, imagining how performing arts experiences can activate the city and region, with a focus on Aotea Square, to increase engagement and participation in performing arts. He is committed to ongoing collaboration with and support for toi Māori performing artists with Auckland Live.
“The opportunity to build on the significant work done to date by past and current leaders at Auckland Live is a privilege, to ensure that we continue to programme relevant, innovative, entertaining and diverse performing arts events. At a time globally when audience behaviours have changed and communities are facing economic challenges, it is vital we continue to strive to understand what audiences want now from a performing arts experience, re-imagining and re-defining what role performing arts can play in civic life.”
Part of Daniel’s role is to lead the development of the Aotea Arts Quarter on behalf of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, in collaboration with the wider Auckland Council group, a performing arts precinct at the heart of Auckland. This area has long been a special place for Aucklanders, from the earliest days on the banks of the Waihorotiu stream, its evolution as a civic centre, and the growth of Auckland’s dynamic arts and culture scene.
“It is such a unique area in the heart of the region and I am inspired to collaborate on a shared vision of what this area can become. With the new Te Waihorotiu Station planned to open in 2026, and expected to become New Zealand’s busiest train station, thousands of people will spill out into the area daily. What an amazing opportunity to connect these new audiences with incredible arts and culture and create an environment they want to spend time in.”
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill says Daniel’s energy, in addition to his extensive expertise and experience stood out in the national and international recruitment search for the position.
“Daniel demonstrated a deep love and respect of the performing arts sector, a willingness to build connections, forge strong, authentic relationships and be open to and inclusive of new and different perspectives. He is openly excited by the cultural diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau and the opportunity to connect with a new community of artists and to deeply engage with Māori culture,” says Hill.
Originally from Adelaide, Daniel is an award-winning artistic director, creative producer, executive producer, director, curator and chief executive officer across Australia and the United Kingdom. He's a respected arts leader with a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion, developing and championing bold artistic voices, connecting audiences to new work and the support of innovative creative practice.
Daniel has held roles at Australia’s leading arts centres including Canberra Theatre Centre (Head of Programming), Arts Centre Melbourne (Creative Producer of Theatre and Contemporary Performance) and Queensland Performing Arts Centre (Executive Producer, Programming). He was Co-Festival Creative Director of Sydney WorldPride 2023 and led the development of the WorldPride Arts Program which saw a city-wide collaboration in the development and presentation of 82 events, 50 of which were world premiere events spanning theatre, dance, opera, music, literary events, visual art, comedy and cabaret.
As well as his leadership roles within organisations, for more than 20 years Daniel has worked as an independent director and producer including directing roles at the Melbourne Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company of South Australia.
Settling into his Auckland Live role which he started in late July, Daniel has taken every opportunity to experience both Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s performing arts culture, and the unique Māori culture and identity here in Tāmaki.
“I have been inspired and excited by the breadth of work I have seen so far in Tāmaki Makaurau, including the powerful Autaia which saw over 600 talented rangatahi perform highly original haka theatre performance pieces on the Kiri Te Kanawa stage.
“I have loved attending the Kōanga Festival at Te Pou Theatre, seeing brilliant contemporary performances at Q Theatre and The Basement and stunning music performances by Georgia Lines, Tina Cross and Anna Coddington in different venues across Aotearoa. My weeks are filled with amazing performing arts events across the city”