Join us at The Hannah on 6 December for the Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai 2026, celebrating excellence in theatre.
We are excited to announce our new creative team for 2026: Co-hosts Maeve O'Connell and Raureti Ormond, and Creative Director, Parekawa Finlay.
For more information, please go to News page.
Photography Credit: Renati Waaka
Nominations open for 2026 Community &
Backstage Awards
⭐️ Community Awards: We invite you to submit your nominations for individuals or companies that have made a significant and positive impact on our community in their work and practice across the last year for a
Especially those whose efforts are behind the scenes and sometimes go unnoticed - from Ushers, Volunteers, Publicists and all our unsung heroes across Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
⭐️ Backstage Award: We invited you to submit your nominations to recognise the theatre practitioners that work backstage and have demonstrated excellence vital to the success of theatre in Wellington this year. The Backstage Award is open to nominations from the wider sector and the winner is selected by the judges.
The specific roles that are eligible are Operators, Production Managers, Stage Managers. This can be summed up as: Excellence in the fields of Technical Operation (Sound, Lighting, Vision) or Arts Management (Stage, Production or Technical).
Community Award Nominations and Backstage Award Nominations also close at 10pm on Thursday 12th November 2026.
Submit your nomination here:
The 2026 Awards are proudly supported by:
The Wellington Theatre Awards - Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai
Celebrating its 35th year, the Wellington Theatre Awards Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai is the longest running event of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 1992, the annual awards have honoured the achievements and contributions of the creatives who make theatre in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. As entertaining, challenging and heartwarming as the theatre shows they celebrate, the awards embed the city as the cultural capital of Aotearoa, a place where imagination flourishes and creative minds choose to live and work.
The Awards recognise the actors, designers, writers, composers, directors and technical crew that create and produce theatre in Wellington, as well as those who have contributed significantly to the Wellington theatre community and creative sector over the years.
Photo credit: Lewis Ferris
