Ontario Presents is thrilled to support our members and staff to attend conferences and professional development events with a special focus on discovering new artists. This article is an opportunity for our network to benefit vicariously through those experiences.
Below is an account of PANNZ Arts Market 2026 as told by Glenn Brown, Manager at the Sanderson Centre in Brantford, ON.
This past February and March I had the opportunity to travel to Aotearoa once again to attend PANNZ, the New Zealand Arts Market held in Auckland. This was my third time attending, and it is hard to describe the value that comes from renewing and extending relationships through repeated time spent with artists, presenters, and international delegates.
The week began with a couple of days in Wellington, where the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts was taking place. In addition to seeing some shows, the Canadian delegation – which included Ronnie Brown and Judy Harquail – were guests at a reception hosted by the Festival and Creative New Zealand. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet artists performing at the festival and learn more about their work. It was also where I witnessed the power of a Tragically Hip t-shirt, as Ronnie made more than a few new friends bonding over a shared love of The Hip.
After a road trip up the North Island to Auckland, the conference began. The first day was dedicated to welcoming the very large international contingent, a group that has grown considerably in recent years as the value of this kind of engagement becomes clearer. After a climb up a volcano and a traditional Pōwhiri welcome, we jumped right into showcases and pitch sessions. As much as we benefit from engaging with delegates from around the world, one of the more tangible rewards of these events is the time spent with the wider Canadian contingent – forging connections and networks to carry forward. I saw some great work during my time in New Zealand and look forward to pitching some of it to colleagues in Ontario and our broader national booking group. Now if only we could find a way to make the 30-plus hours of travel each way a little more bearable. ∎