RNZ: Culture 101

A “bunch of nerds who play games and make comedy sketches about games” have come a long way. With more than 5.5 million subscribers on YouTube and in excess of 2.4 billion views on their channel, Viva La Dirt League are most definitely world famous - but mostly outside New Zealand. 

Creative New Zealand research this year shows artists are still earning considerably less than other wage earners. 

If it wasn’t for disco, Taiaroa Royal might be best known as a farmer. Not one of Aotearoa’s most celebrated dancers and choreographers.

Each week we join a creative correspondent from a different part of Aotearoa New Zealand. This week it’s Judene Edgar from Whakatū aka Nelson. 

BDSM is hitting the stage in Tāmaki Makaurau. No, not that BDSM - the Bomb Defusal School of Manakau of course.

Successful trials in France have shown drawing can improve the well-being and lessen the anxiety of those living with dementia. Now, Massey University will join forces with French institutes to run a trial in Wellington. 

Since he could barely reach the joysticks in his local parlour in Ngongotaha, Lake Rotorua, Preston McNeil (Te Arawa, Tainui) has loved spacies.

Comedian, actor and writer Kura Forrester drops into Culture 101 to talk about what she’s been watching and listening to when she’s not in rehearsal.
 

Simon Morris looks at three movies that take certain short cuts to reach their audience.

Can you be a critic in your own backyard? Culture 101 speaks to arts critic and senior lecturer, Erin Harrington, about the latest from the Word festival in Christchurch.