Many things have been written about Splore. But what is most striking about Splore is that as a woman I have never felt adrift or unsafe. At Splore I have seen incredible artists like Dizzee Rascal, Sister Nancy, Lady Shaka, The Pharcyde, Aroha and MC Tali. Splore was singular for reasons impossible to list in these column inches, and its ending isn’t just haere rā to another festival. We can talk about models and money, but it’s really the end of a cultural chapter that truly and artfully embodied creative imagination; a place to explore and express identity, however that looked for you.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 28, 2026 19:05 UTC