Waikato Creative Symposium: Announcing the Lineup
Calling all Waikato artists, creative volunteers and enablers!
Mark your calendar and get your tickets now for the Waikato Creative Symposium: He waka eke noa.
Join us for a day of connection, great kai, and hear from our expert panellists, MC’d by local legend Hamiora de Thierry.
Without further ado, here is our star lineup:
Hamiora de Thierry (MC) 
Hamiora de Thierry is an artist, youth worker, and health promoter, known for his work in youth mental health, mau rākau, poetry, and youth empowerment initiatives like the Waikato Youth Expo. He has been involved in youth programs and media like The Nutters Club and Te Ao Māori News, advocating for young Māori and promoting creativity and heritage preservation
His creative journey reflects his commitment to passing on knowledge and culture through physical expression. Hamiora’s practice is closely connected to his roles within his marae and the wider Kīngitanga movement.
Tandi Wright 
Tandi is a NZ-based actor of more than 30 years experience. She works consistently both in Aotearoa and internationally. Since 2008 she has served as vice-president of Equity New Zealand, the performers union.
Tandi is also one of New Zealand’s most experienced intimacy coordinators, and in 2020 she co-founded Intimacy Coordinators Aotearoa (ICA). She is passionate about performers’ rights, and is constantly frustrated by the undervaluing of the Arts in NZ. When she’s not working, Tandi can usually be found walking the dog, or battling traffic on the North-Western trying to get her daughter to netball on time.
Claudia Jowitt
Claudia Jowitt is an artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau of Pākeha and iTaukei (Fijian) heritage. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Elam School of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Art and Design (Hons) and Bachelor of Visual Arts from AUT University and studied at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 2022 she was appointed to the Artist Resale Royalty Regulations Advisory Group by the Ministry of Culture & Heritage. Jowitt is currently working teaching the Professional Practice paper on the BVA degree at AUT University & Project Manager for Arts Makers / Kāhui Ringatoi Aotearoa, an arts advocacy organisation which aims to raise the standard of support for visual artists and the arts sector as a whole.
Huia Hamon (MPG Aotearoa, HūHā Music, Kog Studio)
Huia Hamon is active in the global music network as a te reo Māori singer/producer, speaker and consultant. As an award-winning artist and producer, she is currently finishing her 3rd album at Kog Studio, which she co-runs with Chris Chetland called ‘Kawakawa’.
In 2025, she performed at Te Aratini, World Expo, Osaka, (Japan), Knockengorroch Festival (Scotland), Imaginative, (Canada) and in Aotearoa. She was a panellist for Going Global (NZ) ‘Music In Japan’, International Indigenous Music Summit (Canada) ‘AI and Indigenous Music’, delegate for The Great Escape and Focus Wales (UK), and with facilitator roles at SXSW Sydney (AU) ‘World Music Meet Up’.
Her global music platform HūHā Music is a connector for Aotearoa to the indigenous music network. In 2024, she participated in the Tokyo International Music Market (Japan), panel speaker at WOMEX24 (Manchester), ‘Global Music Futurisms’, as a featured artist for Rei off-WOMEX24 showcase, and Akawui (Mapuche, Chile) in 2023 (Spain).
Waimihi Hotere 
Te Aupouri, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Wai, Armstrong clan. Her whakapapa anchors her in the far north, in Hokianga, sweeps across to collect the tide of the east coast at Matapouri Bay then rides along the mighty, tupuna awa Waikato to Ngāti Mahuta and settles in the heart of Te Nehenehenui in Ngāti Huiao, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Te Peehi, Ngāti Te Kanawa. Waimihi began her training in voice from a young age whilst attending hui and tangihanga with her mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Their innate ability to vocalise their emotions were the foundations of Waimihi’s sonic world. Waimihi uses those sound memories to build vocal scales and soundscapes for audiences to connect with te ao Māori (a Māori perspective) and the land.
Waimihi trained at the NZ Drama School and has a Master’s degree in Applied Indigenous Knowledge from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. She performed in and produced the Māori Troilus and Cressida, 0lthe vocalist for Nga Tae; an eclectic mix of taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) and electronica and is currently managing the Practice and Pathways team at Creative NZ.
James Wilson
With over 20 years’ experience in the arts and culture sector, James has worked with a range of not-for-profit organisations across fundraising, strategy, programming, producing, community engagement and audience development. James trained as a theatre director, working for a variety of arts venues in London, including the Lyric Hammersmith, Tate Modern, and The Orange Tree Theatre. James has held leadership roles at Massive Company, Q Theatre, and Tauranga City Council.
James works as a fundraising coach with Funding HQ and is the facilitator for Creative New Zealand’s New Leaders programme. James is Chair of the Incubator Creative Hub and serves on the board of the Tahi Festival in Wellington.
Kat Quin
Kat Quin is a celebrated author and illustrator who started her career in 2002 with projects for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. In 2014, from her award-winning educational design studio, she launched her own publishing imprint, Illustrated Publishing.
Since releasing her first book, Kuwi’s First Egg, she has published more than 24 titles. In 2016, the te reo Māori version of Kuwi’s First Egg, translated by Pānia Papa, won the Children’s Choice Award at the NZ Book Awards.
She is quintessentially Kiwi, which erupts through her quirky illustrations, on which she spends thirty plus hours for each spread.
Andy Tilo-Faiaoga 
Andy Tilo-Faiaoga is an experienced arts professional with over 15 years working across dance, visual arts, theatre, movement, acting, and stunts, both nationally and internationally. His career bridges the worlds of stage and screen, carrying him from intimate theatre spaces to some of the world’s largest film sets.
Over the past six years, Andy has been part of major feature films and television series, including Avatar: The Way of Water directed by James Cameron, Evil Dead Rise directed by Lee Cronin, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom directed by James Wan, and the New Zealand feature Red, White & Brass directed by Damon Fepula’i. He has also featured in upcoming television series such as Chief of War directed by Justin Choon, and Time Bandits directed by Taika Waititi.
On stage, Andy has performed in celebrated theatre works such as 1918, Fatu Na Totō, and Purple Onion directed by Tupe Lualua, which have headlined the Masina Festival, Pacific Dance Festival, Tempo, Kia Mau Festival, and toured internationally. He has also appeared in dance theatre works Shel We and 14 Malone Road directed and choreographed by Tupua Tigafua, which have featured across New Zealand’s leading arts festivals. As a lead dancer with Neil Ieremia and the internationally acclaimed company Black Grace, Andy has carried Pacific stories to audiences around the globe. Earlier this year, he also co-directed and co-choreographed a work with his 11 year old son called Shapes in the Clouds, that was performed at the 2025 Pacific Dance Festival.
Beyond his performance career, Andy is deeply committed to cultural revival. He is currently on a journey to research, revive, and reimagine “Tau”. The Samoan martial art and warrior practice exploring its origins, philosophies, and evolution as both a martial discipline and an art form. This work reflects Andy’s dedication to honouring ancestral knowledge while bringing it into conversation with contemporary creative practice.
Andy continues to share his gifts with the world, embracing each project as an opportunity to refine his craft as a storyteller. Whether on film, theatre, or stage, his goal remains the same: to leave a mark that resonates, carrying echoes of culture, strength, and inspiration for generations to come.
Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds
Member of Māori heavy metal band Alien Weaponry and Cultural content creator.
Whether he is touring the world with Alien Weaponry or creating social media content, Tūranga has captured an audience who wants to learn more about his culture and his creativity.
From videos like teaching people how to pronounce his name to playing bass live and showing his fave sections of songs, you have more than likely come across one of his videos on social media.
We look forward to seeing you at the Waikato Creative Symposium: He waka eke noa, on the 20th of September!
(Tickets are limited, so get in fast, and pass this on to your creative friends and whānau!)