Cian Gardner

Cian completed a conjoint degree at Waikato - a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, allowing her to put her love for drama and education to good use.

She says the impetus for building a career in theatre came after the birth of her son. “After having my son I realised the importance of finding a career path I could take that fulfilled me personally. Being a mother was all encompassing, but I knew to be the best mother I could be I needed a career that I enjoyed going to every day and was passionate about.”

Degrees in hand, Cian wanted to address the lack of opportunities for Māori storytelling in the Waikato. “In my theatrical experience there have been very few opportunities to audition for Māori characters. So I decided to create the pieces myself and share stories from my community,” says Cian.

She founded her own theatre company, Cove Theatre. The kaupapa of the company is to bring Māori storytelling to the mainstream stage. Her debut show, Rauru, which was co-written with friend Karina Nathan, was performed to a sell-out crowd at the Rotorua Fringe Festival.

Cian went on to win the Creative New Zealand Ngā Manu Pīrere emerging artist award which recognises young successful Māori artists who are starting out in their career. Winning the award put Cove Theatre on the radar and helped Cian to strengthen her relationship with Creative New Zealand.

Cian says her time at the University of Waikato opened her eyes to different perspectives and taught her the value of relationships. Her advice for students who want to pursue a career in the arts is simple - always be open to learning.

“Continue to seek advice and mentorship, work for people who you respect and want to learn from, and always hustle.”

Photo credit: Michael Smith.