Thursday 25 October 2018
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Christchurch’s Reimagined World Buskers Festival 2019 Programme Re-vealed
10 January – 3 February 2019 | 28 days | 527 show
Penelope Elena and Hilton Denis from the cast of LIMBO preform at the Bread & Circus programme launch on Wednesday
A bigger, bolder world-class programme for Christchurch’s reimagined festival, Bread & Circus – World Buskers Festi-val has been launched – celebrating the unique and diverse range of New Zealand performers, alongside a carefully curated
and complementary line-up of international artists.
Building upon the wonderfully rich and much-loved 25 year history of the World Buskers Festival, Bread & Circus integrates the old and the new along the streets of Christchurch and in a range of special venues, including a
Spiegeltent and specially curated hospitality hubs around the central city. There will be elements that Cantabrians know
and love, and a new range of world class twists and turns that ele-vate the festival to a new level.
Bread & Circus will run from 10 January – 3 February 2019. The festival kicks off with an intensive 10-day program full of exciting free events, exceptional ticketed shows, a
large-scale spectacle and world-famous busking pitches. The ticketed program and festival hub will then extend into
February.
Scott Maidment, Director of Strut & Fret NZ is excited to present a premium programme of international significance, “Many of these acts have never before
been seen in New Zealand. With more than 50 talented performers from around the world, including 22 of New Zea-land’s
finest, it’s hard to pick favourites, but we’re particularly proud to present LIMBO with its international cast, Piff the Magic Dragon from the UK via Las Vegas, Hot Brown Honey from Aus-tralia, and LEO: The Anti-Gravity Show from Canada and Germany.”
Mayor of Christchurch, Lianne Dalziel says she's delighted that Strut & Fret are bringing their 20 years plus experience to breathe new life into Christchurch's beloved World Buskers
Festival, bringing Bread & Circus, a festival of world-class performances, to the heart of the city. "The team at Strut & Fret have promised me that Bread & Circus World Buskers Festival will integrate the old and the new, with elements that everyone knows and loves, and will
bring a new range of phenomenal features to elevate the festival to a whole new level."
This summer’s festival is bigger and bolder than ever before, with 527 performances and 90 hours of roving performers,
an increase from 344 performances earlier this year. The number of buskers doing free street performances will double
from 14 in 2018 to 29, with talent from New Zealand and around the world.
New additions include the Festival Hub, home to the gorgeous Victoria Spiegeltent making its New Zealand debut, pop-up
bars, delicious food, live music, interactive experiences and surprise acts. The buskers are joined by free roving
performers, internationally celebrated acts Skeleton of Colour and Cocoloco. Food has also been incorporated into the Fes-tival with a host of local producers, and some special food and
performance fusions. Look out for The Feast of Fools, a moving feast of unexpected food and theatre. Bread & Circus are transforming the Arts Centre Gym into the Back-stage Social Club, a place for performances and the social
hub of the festival, where you’ll be able to meet performers and hang out with the crew.
The festival will attract a diverse audience of Cantabrians, New Zealanders and international visitors to engage with,
and explore, the revitalised city of Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Loren Heaphy, General Manager of Destination and Attraction for ChristchurchNZ says, “High profile events like Bread & Circus are vital to our city of opportunity and exploration. Our people love being entertained at them and they bring
long-term benefits as they raise our national and global profile and add significant value to our growing economy.
ChristchurchNZ is enormously proud of the bold pro-gramme that has been unveiled for this iconic event, which has been
refreshed and re-aligned to our city’s new major event strategy.”
Festival goers can expect to see Bread & Circus take over the central city with roving buskers roaming the streets, and busking pitches popping up at
Christchurch Art Gallery, the Arts Centre North Quad, the Peacock Fountain, Cathedral Square and more. Ticketed shows
will take place in the Isaac Theatre Royal, the Assembly Hall and The Old Boys’ Theatre at Christ’s College.
For the full programme and to purchase tickets visit www.breadandcircus.co.nz
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About Strut & Fret NZ
Strut & Fret New Zealand has the license to run the new, reimagined World Buskers Festival, Bread & Circus. They are working with a mix of local and international performers and contractors to grow and develop the
festival for the future. creates world-class events in dynamic environments which engage, enthral and excite audiences
globally. With over 20 years’ experience, this internationally acclaimed company has created and delivered work across
the breadth of public and community events, corporate functions, festival precincts, street theatre, comedy, dance,
drama, circus, theatre and spectacle. Strut & Fret NZ has partnered to deliver outstanding events with a wide range of entities such as Sydney Festival, Brisbane
Festival, New Zealand Arts Festival, Melbourne Festival, Christchurch Arts Festival, Auckland Festival, Melbourne
International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Southbank Centre Lon-don and many more.
About ChristchurchNZ
ChristchurchNZ is the city’s economic development and city profile agency charged with igniting bold ambition,
excitement, connecting changemakers, stimulating economic activity and attracting visitors to Ōtautahi Christchurch.
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