The Masterclass Project Launch

We are launching a new masterclass series in 2026, designed to support and embolden New Zealand theatre artists, teachers and emerging theatre talent. 

Made possible through generous backing of private donors Peter Macky and Cynthia Braithwaite, and with support from the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific, the series aims to champion New Zealand playwrights, directors and actors, and help reinforce a sustainable and highly-skilled future for New Zealand theatre artists.

The Masterclass Project kicks off in February 2026 with a visit by one of the UK’s most influential contemporary playwrights, Simon Stephens. Stephens, who is celebrated for works including the stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (staged by ATC in 2016) and Blindness (presented at the 2021 Auckland Writers Festival, supported by British Council New Zealand and the Pacific), will lead a programme of workshops and events exclusively for Aotearoa theatre practitioners. This includes an intensive workshop for mid-career to established playwrights, which has been co-designed with New Zealand script advisor, actor and director Jason Te Kare (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui). Stephens will also lead a professional development workshop for drama and literacy teachers, and a writing workshop for students and ATC Youth Arts participants and practitioners. Applications open today.

Our Artistic Director and CEO Jonathan Bielski says, “Thanks to the generosity of private donors, Auckland Theatre Company is launching this new initiative to support the development of theatre artists in Aotearoa New Zealand. We aim to bring some of the world’s leading theatre practitioners to Auckland, offering our creative community fresh perspectives, new skills and renewed inspiration. 

“Stephens’ visit, generously supported by the British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme, is designed to help New Zealand creatives build their ideas collaboratively with a global innovator whose work challenges conventions and expands the possibilities of theatre. This is an opportunity for New Zealand playwrights to connect directly with one of the world’s leading dramatic voices in a masterclass aimed at strengthening their own work.”

The British Council New Zealand and the Pacific’s Connections Through Culture programme, which has facilitated Stephens’ visit, brings artists and organisations from the UK and different parts of the world to exchange ideas, co-create and explore bold new approaches to some of today’s most pressing global challenges.

Stephens says, “It means a great deal to have been awarded the Connections Through Culture grant. I think we are living and working in a cultural moment when travel will act as a life source for the arts and creativity. In coming decades, creativity, imagination and collaboration will be more urgent than ever before. I think the arts can be at the heart of such a collaboration and to be a part of that excites and moves me.”

“I haven't been to New Zealand for twenty years. I remember my last visit with real clarity. It was one of the happiest times of my life and remains one of the most beautiful places I have visited. I can’t wait to return to work with New Zealand theatremakers next year.”

Natasha Beckman, Director British Council New Zealand and the Pacific, says, “Artistic exchange is the kaupapa of the British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme. The arts thrive on mutual exchange and when people connect across cultures, they create work that resonates far beyond their own communities. We hope that this exchange between acclaimed British playwright Simon Stephens and New Zealand theatremakers will create lasting connections, help our creative industries grow, and continue to enrich theatre on both sides of the world for years to come. ”

On 21 February, Simon will deliver a rare public reading of his heartfelt 35-minute ode to grief, Sea Wall, followed by an in-depth conversation on the important role of theatre.

Applications for the playwright’s masterclass, for which there are strictly limited places, open today, Monday 15 December. Keen participants need to submit their expressions of interest via our website. Playwrights traveling from outside Tāmaki Makaurau can access partial travel support.