Category: Premium
Smiles, sass, solidarity — and so many bears. YOUR EX was there to capture the full rainbow of community joy as Auckland’s own Matt McVeigh was crowned Mr Bear New Zealand 2026 in a night that was equal parts heart and hilarity. From the moment the lights hit the stage to the roars of support […]
As Auckland’s Rainbow Parade gears up for another colourful celebration, Event Manager Shaughan Woodcock gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what makes this year’s Parade so significant, and why our visibility remains vital. How many groups and organisations are marching in 2026, and what does that number say about where the Parade — and the […]
Australian circus performer and burlesque artist Adam Malone will be spreading joy in Auckland Arts Festival circus show La Ronde this March. Talking to YOUR EX’s Oliver Hall, he discusses communicating without words, seducing straight audiences, and collective orgasms. Scroll through Adam Malone’s Instagram and you’ll find the tagline that pretty much sums it up: […]
Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts Co-Director Tama Waipara discusses the Festival’s 40th anniversary, the pressures shaping this moment, and how we can all find identity and belonging in the arts. “The urgency, I suppose, is really of our times,” he says. For Tama, this anniversary doesn’t exist in isolation. It lands amid a […]
YOUR EX sits down with Brad Cohen, General Director of New Zealand Opera and conductor of Bluebeard’s Castle, Cohen who speaks candidly about why this haunting work feels so urgent right now. Long associated with dark Gothic myth, Bartók’s only opera is reimagined here as an intimate, contemporary love story — one that centres ageing, […]
From the celebration of Auckland’s parade to Wellington’s community-rooted celebrations, and Christchurch’s evolving grassroots programme, the 2026 Pride season in our major cities promises something for everyone. Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland (1–28 February) Auckland celebrates PRIDE throughout February, transforming neighbourhoods, streets, galleries, and public spaces into vibrant expressions of LGBTQ+ culture, artistry, and visibility. This […]
Auckland Philharmonia’s 2026 Season promises a rich tapestry of musical brilliance, so mark your calendars and get booking for a season of international stars, local legends and cinematic magic. Among the season’s major highlights are New Zealand debuts from internationally acclaimed artists, including cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and conductor Stéphane Denève. The season also marks the […]
Karen Ritchie, newly appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, reflects on decades of advocacy for people with HIV, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ communities. When Karen Ritchie was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), she cried. Not out of surprise alone, but from a deep well of memory […]