Auckland Pride is thrilled to welcome arts luminary Nathan Joe into the role of Creative Director. In the position Joe will lead the creative vision of the organisation and support the delivery of the annual Auckland Pride Festival, continuing the organisation's support of rainbow communities and mission to enhance Auckland Pride as an authentic and abundant home for creative arts.

Nathan Joe is an award-winning playwright, performance poet, producer and arts administrator. His many accolades include the prestigious 2022 Grimshaw Sargeson Literary Fellowship and 2021 Bruce Mason Playwriting Award, 2020 National Poetry Slam Champion and two Playmarket b425 awards. Most recently his play Scenes from a Yellow Peril had its world premiere as part of Auckland Theatre Company’s 2022 programme. His previous work also includes curating BIPOC spoken word event DIRTY PASSPORTS, co-creating Slay the Dragon or Save the Dragon or Neither with A Slightly Isolated Dog, and directing Yang/Young/杨 for Auckland Theatre Company. He also done work as a dramaturg, theatre critic, is one half of Oriental Maidens, a screen and live arts production company, and currently works as Basement Theatre’s Programming Assistant.

“I believe Auckland Pride has a pivotal role to play in helping to transform Tāmaki Makaurau into an arts capital. It's a massive privilege to be given the opportunity to help shape a more sustainable and thriving creative sector for our Rainbow community. We live in a country with a cultural backbone shaped by its many queer artists yet that queerness often remains watered down and placed in the peripheries. I'm excited by what it means to help shift it into the forefront of our city's cultural consciousness.” Nathan Joe says on his appointment as Creative Director.

As Creative Director, Joe will be working alongside Executive Director Max Tweedie in this critical role to support the delivery of the annual open-access Auckland Pride Festival programme and its Major Events, including working with Auckland Pride’s Kaiwhakahaere Takatāpui to deliver Te Tīmatanga. Joe will also support the delivery of the new Artist in Residency Program and continue to strengthen relationships and community engagement with Aotearoa’s rainbow and arts communities.

Speaking on behalf of Auckland Pride, Executive Director Max Tweedie says, "We are thrilled to welcome Nathan Joe to the Auckland Pride team as our Creative Director. We were invigorated by Nathan's vision for the part Auckland Pride can play in the queer creative arts, and believe that his experience and skills position us strongly to achieve our shared vision. Nathan has an extensive background in Tāmaki’s performing arts scene and we cannot wait for him to hit the ground running in the lead up to the 2023 Festival.”

Joe will be joining the Auckland Pride team full-time from September, and take over the role from Elyssia Wilson-Heti who is continuing to support Auckland Pride with their Residency Program and will be working closely with Joe in August to hand over the role. Auckland Pride is looking forward to continuing their ongoing friendship with Wilson-Heti in the future, and thanks her for her contributions and support.