Youth Arts Central Otago What's On – Feb & March 2026
Kei ōu ringaringa te ao. The world is yours. Time to set your alarms, dust off those uniforms, and get psyched for another year of learning, experimenting and creativity. We're hoping you’ve had a holiday full of family, fun and friends. A small variety of youth arts events are happening in our region in February and March, but there’s a bigger assortment of online events and
competitions on offer that we’ve featured in our calendar. DO: A Slightly Bananas Art Club Add some laughter and
colour to your life and take a look at Olaf Falafel’s YouTube channel. Olaf Falafel is an award-winning comedian, author and illustrator. His online Art Club launched in April 2020 and since then it has amassed a small but loyal band of subscribblers. Each episode is packed with jokes, how to draw tutorials, technical tips and tricks, famous artists, silly songs, crazy characters and Olaf himself. Start at
Episode One or dip in to a random episode. WATCH: Adventure Film Night Get the popcorn ready, pull the curtains, and sit
back with loved ones and enjoy some free short films gifted by the good people at Adventure Reels TV (be sure to click the 'Free Viewing' button at the top of the site). There are some incredible stories to enjoy, and budding filmmakers can learn from the techniques on show. There are also documentaries featured on the site such as the Gutsy Girls Film Tour, Ocean Film Festival, and Top Dog Film Festival, but you’ll need to pay for those ones. READ: Creative Writing Guide For Kids Pre-orders are now being taken for a new creative writing guide for kids, packed with magical tips, tricks and story prompts to make your writing shine. Writing is an act of magic. Open the pages of Creative Writing Magic: 80 Tips and Tricks for Young Writers and magically transform your writing skills with a series of fun facts, activities and essential skills for storytellers. It's the perfect book for budding writers who want to sharpen their skills and get stuck in to some creative monster-themed fun! LISTEN: Play It Strange The professionally recorded songs by the finalists and winners of the 2025 Play It Strange songwriting competitions are available on Bandcamp and Spotify. Be prepared to be inspired by these talented young New Zealand songwriters. SEE: A
Documentary For NZ Music Lovers Whether through his influential bands, legendary act The Front Lawn, or compositions for film and television, the songs of Don McGlashan are well known to the Kiwi ear. Less familiar is the story of the man behind the music, but that’s about to change thanks to acclaimed cultural documentarian Shirley Horrocks. With legendary colleagues like Neil Finn and Toa Fraser, and touching interviews with family offering rare glimpses into his creative soul, the film is an uplifting tribute to a truly original talent. Please note: The film has an E rating that means that it's exempt from classification due to it being a documentary. We advise students and parents to watch the trailer together to decide its suitability. Ngā mihi,
Isabel Beardmore (Central Otago Arts)
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