Back row (L-R): Peter Graham, Sam Phillips, Jillian Davey, Melissa Conway, Karen Carey, Dr Sarah Rusholme (inset), Elly Holland, Marianne Taylor, Kit Benham, Amanda Hereaka

Middle row (L-R): Fiona Tucker, Natalie Britten (inset), Georgia Munn, Morag Zaric (inset), Sonia Hardie, Melissa Hamilton (inset), Miriam Gilkes

Front row (L-R): Joe Newman, Cara Louise Waretini (inset), Victoria Dadd (inset), Poppy Dodge, Ruby Armstrong-Kooy, Amy Church, Shannon Brosnahan-Inglis, Pippa Drakeford

Absent: Stuart Grant

2016 has been a cracker year for Capital E, with our public and education events and programmes touching on themes from Sherlock Holmes to houses of horror. Capital E have appointed a new director, Dr Sarah Rusholme, and gained a myriad of talented team members.

This year, tens of thousands of young people and their whanau visited Capital E’s public space, our touring shows were seen by school audiences all over Aotearoa, and 17 second school groups pledged to unleash their creativity in the next round of the Roxy5 Short Film Competition. We’ve seen amazing cardboard worlds created with Boxopolis, Hinepau taught young audiences about the importance of staying true to themselves, and Shu’s Song told compelling stories with no words – and so many more quality shows and activities for children and young people.

Experience Wellington director of children and young people, Dr Sarah Rusholme, says “From Shu’s Song to the Roxy 5 competition – from pre-schoolers to Year 13s, Capital E has connected with  so many children, young people, their caregivers and teachers this year. We’re proud to be the place that’s leading New Zealand in to igniting and fuelling creativity in its youngest citizens – and looking forward to an amazing 2017!”

Tour manager Miriam Gilkes says, “Shu’s Song and Hinepau toured to 20 venues different venues around New Zealand, engaging and inspiring children from Kerikeri to Invercargill. We’re looking forward to bringing back some old favourites next year with Songs of the Sea and An Awfully Big Adventure.”

Public programmes creative producer Karen Carey struggled to choose just one highlight from a brilliant year for Capital E’s public space:

“We have had a lot of highlights this year, but I would say our collaboration with Wellington Museum at Halloween and our current Christmas installation, Once Upon a Christmas, are stand-outs for me.”

Medialab coordinator Sam Phillips is proud of the amazing work achieved by school students who visited our digital studios in 2016:

“In Medialab students created over 100 original virtual reality worlds to explore inside Google cardboard headsets, 1000 lines of code in our Code Club, brand new foley and soundtracks for animated films, and two LED light-based art projects. We also terrified Wellingtonians with our HTC Vive horror experience during Halloween.”

We’re rather excited about 2017’s Capital E programme, with our astronomical Great Scavenger Hunt on 21 January, Chinese New Year celebrations from 30 January-12 February, and the massive National Arts Festival from 13-25 March, as well as a brand new MediaLab script in Te Reo Māori and the launch of corporate team building activities in our OnTV studio.

Have a safe and merry festive season, and we look forwards to seeing you in 2017.