November 2nd to 17th, 2024
Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Wellington, NZ
Updates
Creatif Kate's Double Book Launch now online
Creatif Kate's Double Book Launch is now online. Here is the link to the zoom.
Jules Daniels Development Show cancelled
Jules Daniels Development Show is cancelled. The show is being turned into a podcast. We'll post a link to this podcast here and on Facebook.
NZSL Online Edition of DAT's Hilarious
More info coming soon...
Basic Programme
Saturday 2nd November
12pm Launch! (free)
1pm Lunch! (free)
2:30pm Opening Gala (ticketed) (Audio Described, NZSL)
Sunday 3rd November
1pm Lunch (bring your own)
2pm Board Games & hangouts (free) (Audio Described)
5:30pm Online Poetry Show (ticketed)
Tuesday 5th November
1pm-3pm Circus Workshop (sign up, pay what you can) (Audio Described)
Wednesday 6th November
10:30am-12pm Write DAT Story! Workshop online (sign up, pay what you can)
Thursday 7th November
12pm-2pm Peer Support Lunch (free, bring your own food)
2pm-4pm DAT’s Dramatic! Acting workshop with Kate Hood (sign up, pay what you can) (Audio Described)
7pm-9pm DAT’s Hilarious! Comedy Night (ticketed) (Audio Described)
Friday 8th November
6pm-8:30pm ALL DAT JAZZ* (and other genres) (ticketed) (Audio Described)
9pm-10pm Disco with DJ Thane (free)
Saturday 9th November FAMILY DAY
10am-2pm loads of activities and shows, ticketed (Audio Described, NZSL)
2:30pm-5:30pm: DAT’s Unexpected! Intro to Improv workshop (sign up, pay what you can) (Audio Described)
Sunday 10th November
11:30am Cabaret Brunch, food included (ticketed) (Audio Described)
Tuesday 12th November
6pm-8pm Let’s Talk About DAT!” Access in the Arts Panel Discussion (ticketed) (Audio Described)
Wednesday 13th November
1pm-4pm DAT's Technical! Tech Workshop (sign up, pay what you can)
6pm-8pm Get DAT Act Together! Workshop (sign up, pay what you can)
Thursday 14th November
7pm blip solo show (ticketed) (Audio Described, NZSL)
Friday 15th November
6:30pm Science for Sociopaths solo show (ticketed) (Audio Described, NZSL)
Saturday 16th November
11am-1pm Write DAT Song! Workshop with Maggie Cocco (sign up, pay what you can)
1:15pm Creatif Kate’s Book Launch “Open Legs Open Heart” (free, books $30!)
2pm Jules Daniel’s Development show (ticketed)
5pm Peer Support (free, bring your own dinner)
7pm Redundant solo show (ticketed) (Audio Described)
Sunday 17th November Closing Day
12pm Where to Next panel discussion (free) (NZSL)
1:30pm Closing Speeches and Lunch (free) (NZSL)
2:30pm DAT’s All Folks! (ticketed)(Audio Described)
4:30pm Afterparty (free)
About DAT Fest
DAT Fest 2024 is presented by and showcases Wellington based d/Deaf, Neurodivergent and Disabled (DND) performing artists, writers, and filmmakers. The Festival is being held over two weeks at Te Auaha, as well as online.
D.A.F.T (the Disabled Artists Festival of Theatre) stormed onto the stage in 2022, snagging a Wellington Theatre Award for social change, and delighting disabled and non-disabled audiences alike! D.A.F.T returned for a longer season in 2023...
Now D.A.F.T returns as DAT Fest, and with support from Creative NZ, it's more accessible, bigger, and better than before!
This annual event celebrates and recognises the identity, community, and work of DND artists and audiences in the performing arts in Wellington. DAT Fest will provide a platform for DND artists to develop and showcase their work and offer accessible events to DND audiences and the wider community.
Festival Directors ‘Creatif’ Kate Spencer and Susan Williams return in 2024. They are both proudly disabled, neurodivergent, queer, theatre makers, performers, poets, comedians, and competitors in the race to remember all their diagnoses first! Both are bringing more talent than you can shake a walking stick at (don’t take Kate’s, she’ll fall over), or shake a white cane at, in Susan’s case.
Creative NZ, Arts Access Aotearoa, Disability Pride Aotearoa, Barbarian Productions & Silver Noodle Soup Film & Theatre Company have all been key supporters, enabling DAT Fest to reach its third year.
If you would like to present your work at a future DAT Fest, or perform at this year’s Scratch Night, or become part of the leadership team in future please contact us.
We are looking for volunteers, disabled and non-disabled alike, to make the 2024 festival a reality. If you would like to be an usher, or a Wellbeing Wingperson (helping to make sure everyone is safe and cared for, and has a friendly face to point them in the right direction), then please email hello.datfest@gmail.com.
NZSL Programme and About DAT Fest Videos
A sneak peek of what we're about from 2023...
Click here to watch the AD Version of DAFT2023 Trailer.
Click here to watch the AD Version of What to look forward to at DAFT2023.