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 2027 Judging Panel
We are seeking expressions of interest for three new judges to join our wonderful judging panel for 2027! This is a volunteer position. For more information, please go to Current Vacancies page. Or submit your nomination here:
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:
Work With The Wellington Theatre Awards
Nominations open for 2027 Judging Panel
The Wellington Theatre Awards Trust is seeking expressions of interest for new judges to join our wonderful judging panel for 2027!
We are looking for 3 new judges to join the current panel this year, supporting the Wellington Theatre Sector. This is a volunteer position.
The role of the volunteer judging panel is to attend all eligible works of theatre in Wellington throughout the year leading up to the awards ceremony in early December. It is not expected that each judge will attend all shows but at least two judges should represent the panel at every show in order for this production to be considered. Tickets to shows will be complimentary.
In early November 2027, the judges will meet with the Arbiter to begin the nomination process for awards that will be presented at the 2027 award ceremony, supported by the Theatre Awards Trust Administrator. The final judging will then take place two weeks later. Judges will not know the final results of the awards until the official announcement at the ceremony in December.
In addition to attending shows throughout the year, judges are asked to attend:
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An introductory session to meet the Administrator and Theatre Awards Trustees
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A mid-year dinner with Trustees and Theatre Cluster Representatives
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Two judging sessions in November
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The Wellington Theatre Awards ceremony in December
Selection Process
Please submit your nomination to the Wellington Theatre Awards Trust Administrator via https://form.jotform.com/253500800136848 or QR code
Once nominations are collated the list will be passed first to the Wellington Theatre Awards Board, and then to current judges and members of the Theatre Cluster:
Barbarian, BATS, Circa, NZ Fringe Festival, Playmarket, Taki Rua, Tahi Festival, Tāwhiri Productions, The Hannah, VUW/PAYPA
