The Lexus Song Quest journey is underway, with semi-finalists announced this month. ARTicle talks to three previous finalists – Isabella Moore, Amitai Pati and Madison Nanoa – about their Lexus journey.

Dr Aleisha Ward will co-host the Jazz and Gender discussion at Wellington Jazz Festival in June. Ahead of the session she highlights some of the issues women in jazz have faced and how #Metoo is opening up the conversation around gender and jazz.

Auditions for Aotearoa's most prestigious opera competition kicked off this week. London-based tenor Filipe Manu reflects on how the Song Quest led him to a spot at Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Emma Neale is the new editor of the iconic New Zealand literary journal, Landfall. She talks to ARTicle about her reading habits and history ahead of the publication of Landfall 235 next month.

Tui Award-nominated drummer Myele Manzanza is known for his work with Electric Wire Hustle and two albums, One, and One Point One. Ahead of his appearances at the Wellington Jazz Festival, he discusses three influences on his creative process.

Three Te Papa curators - Megan Tamati-Quennell, Lizzie Baikie and Justine Olsen - discuss a favorite piece from the new two-storied gallery space, Toi Art, recently opened at our national museum.

Award winning US jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato will bring her tribute to Brazilian influences "flor" to the capital for one show during the Wellington Jazz Festival on Friday 8 June.

By her books we will know Kate Duignan. Kate's second novel, The New Ships, will be published by Victoria University Press in May.

Irish choreographer and Festival favourite Michael Keegan-Dolan let us behind the scenes as they rehearsed Swan Lake/Loch na Heala ahead of tonight's opening night at the New Zealand Festival. All images by Matt Grace.