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FromThePit 2025 – New Zealand Music Photography Exhibition Returns To Celebrate Local Talent In NZ Music Month

FromThePit 2025 – New Zealand Music Photography Exhibition Returns To Celebrate Local Talent In NZ Music Month

Scoop22-04-2025
Press Release – FromThePit
FromThePit, the highly anticipated annual showcase of Aotearoa music photography, is set to return in 2025 for its seventh consecutive year. The exhibition, which highlights the vibrant essence of Aotearoa's music scene, will feature captivating images captured by talented photographers from across the motu.
FromThePit is a curated collection of live music photography, focusing exclusively on Aotearoa musicians performing in local venues. This year, 59 photographers have contributed their recent mahi, providing a rich view of the nation's diverse music landscape.
The 2025 edition features an impressive audio-visual slideshow of over 100 carefully selected images, showcasing both established and emerging talents. Supported by a soundtrack of Kiwi musicians, the goal is to celebrate the depth and diversity of talent both on and off the stage—offering a glimpse into the heart of our music culture. This year's AV was previewed at the Taite Music Prize at Auckland's Q Theatre, offering a first look at the powerful visual storytelling that defines FromThePit.
Beyond the imagery, FromThePit embraces an educational kaupapa, offering events throughout the year for both aspiring and experienced live music photographers. These gatherings provide insight, inspiration, and practical guidance within this dynamic and ever-evolving field.
As the music industry continues to adapt and grow, FromThePit stands as a powerful reminder of the mana of live events. It serves as an enduring visual record of Aotearoa's music scene—acknowledging the past while shining a light on the future.
FromThePit 2025 will be accessible online and at locations across the motu during Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | NZ Music Month (May 2025). For more details on this year's exhibition, related events, and to view archives from previous years, visit FromThePit.co.nz
FromThePit is made possible through the support of:
Sony, Audioculture | Iwi Waiata, Auckland Council | Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland UNESCO City of Music | Tāmaki Makaurau UNESCO Pā Puoro, NZ Music Month | Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), New Zealand Music Commission | Te Reo Reka o Aotearoa, and Agentx.
Designed and curated by New Zealand music photographers:
Dave Simpson, Chontalle Musson, Stella Gardiner, Brenna Gotje, and Jennifer de Koning – FromThePit 2025 promises to be an immersive and unforgettable celebration of Aotearoa's music photography.
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‘I can still hear my mum reading it to me': Kate Preece on the power of picture books
‘I can still hear my mum reading it to me': Kate Preece on the power of picture books

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‘I can still hear my mum reading it to me': Kate Preece on the power of picture books

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One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop
One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop

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One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop

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One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop
One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop

Scoop

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One Theatre Icon, One Stage And One Life On A Loop

Peach Theatre Company presents LIFE ON A LOOP Written by and starring Ellie Smith Directed by Jesse Peach One of our most treasured theatre stars, Ellie Smith returns home this November with her uplifting and poignant new one-woman show, Life on a Loop, a heartfelt exploration of dementia, love and care. Straight off the back of a return London season during World Alzheimer's Month at Golden Goose Theatre, Life on a Loop lands at Q Theatre from 11 – 16 November, marking Smith's first Aotearoa stage performance in over 15 years. For Grace, Christmas Day is just like any other - filled with the same songs and stories playing on a relentless loop, echoing the rhythms of the dementia and elderly residents she cares for. After thirty years in a rest home, the repetition can wear her down, but Grace still turns up with spark, energy, and a glint in her eye. In Life on a Loop, Ellie Smith's vibrant one-woman show, we meet this exhausted but fiercely likeable carer who finds joy, absurdity, and real connection in the monotony. With cracking humour, this show is a deeply moving and refreshingly honest look at the toll of caregiving, and the unexpected beauty found in life on repeat. Smith brings this world to life with seven central characters and a chorus of vivid personalities, each painted with detail and care. Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Jesse Peach, Life on a Loop features a score by Victor Chaga (whose film credits include Music Editor of Back to Black), adding a surreal atmosphere to Grace's world. The production is anchored by set design from award-winning theatre designer and artist John Parker, whose design captures the intimate setting of a care home at Christmas. Having spent time singing in care homes in the south of England, Ellie Smith became close to many of the residents and experienced first-hand the isolation many of them faced. 'My time with them gave me such pleasure,' she reflects. 'And while there was sadness, it was often balanced by joy and fun. I've woven a lot of the residents' words into the characters of this play and hopefully found a lot of humour in something that can be so serious.' Ellie Smith is one of Aotearoa's most respected stage actors, known for starring roles in Shirley Valentine, Piaf, and Auckland Theatre Company's End of the Rainbow. She was one of New Zealand's original Lotto presenters and received the NZ Order of Merit in 2004 for services to theatre. Life on a Loop is her first New Zealand stage appearance since Ruben Guthrie (Silo Theatre, 2009). Director Jesse Peach, now based in London, was moved to bring the show home after its London premiere. 'As soon as it opened in London, I knew New Zealand audiences had to see it. People laughed, cried, and then laughed again. Ellie has created a story that raises serious issues without preaching—it's moving, accessible, and full of heart. I also want to bring Ellie home. She's a taonga of the New Zealand stage, and her play has had such a powerful impact overseas.' says Peach. Peach has directed acclaimed productions in New Zealand and Australia including The History Boys, Death of a Salesman, Othello, and Sweeney Todd.

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