At Ashburton College, our cultural programme celebrates creativity, diversity and student expression. From music, dance and drama to visual arts and kapa haka, students have the opportunity to explore and share their talents both in school events and inter-school competitions. Our vibrant cultural activities enrich school life and help students build confidence, connect with others and contribute to a thriving, inclusive community.
Art & photography students, depending on their year, may visit the local Ashburton Art Gallery, historical places or relevant touring exhibitions on organised field trips.
Students aged between 16 and 19 years are encouraged to enter the Zonta Youth Art Award competition held in April each year at the Ashburton Art Gallery.
The College’s annual Arts & Languages week hosts activities that showcase art, cultures and languages, such as an international food day, trips to foreign films at the cinema, a photography exhibition to raise funds for a charity, and a bi-annual College art competition.
Annually, the college hosts exhibitions showcasing Year 11, 12 and 13 NCEA art, painting and photography portfolios for parents, extended family and friends to see and appreciate the hard work students have put into their art, painting and photography portfolios.
The college annually enters the District School’s Art Exhibition held at the Ashburton Art Gallery. This event allows students to come up with creative and interesting paintings, sculptures and photographs, and to be inspired by seeing what other schools have entered.
Music students at the college can be involved in the inter-school Big Sing competition, a dynamic, national group-singing competition for secondary school students. Festivals are held in June of each year in eleven New Zealand regions. Each competing choir is required to present one ten-minute recital. Three songs are performed, with at least one being a New Zealand or Pasifika composition. More than 250 choirs from 150 schools are taking part in the regional festivals this year, which makes THE BIG SING one of the largest competitive events in the country.
Annually, the college’s music students enter the Chamber Music Contest which is a nationwide chamber music competition for young secondary school musicians and composers. The purpose of the Contest is to encourage young musicians regardless of standard or experience, to perform together and strive towards excellence.
Musicians at the college are encouraged to enter Smokefree Rockquest, which is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Smokefree Rockquest aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100% original New Zealand music.
Students are encouraged to participate in the annual Polyfest inter-school cultural festival held in Christchurch, by organising and performing items they have been practicing at College.
An annual Music Evening is held to showcase student’s musical talents. The event includes a “house “competition, where students from each house compete against each other for house points.
The annual Red Carpet Night held at the Ashburton Trust Event Centre features the College’s senior choir, the Phoenix Chorus, performing a diverse range of items from various genres, and is supported by the College junior choir, and Jazz and Blues Band.
At the start of each year, all students are invited to audition for AshDance, a competitive event where they perform a variety of dance styles. It’s a fun and supportive way for students to challenge themselves and showcase their skills.
Throughout the year, students attend live performances and workshops by companies such as the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Footnote Dance Company, and Black Grace Dance Company, gaining inspiration and developing their understanding of different dance styles.
Near the end of the year, the annual dance showcase celebrates students’ learning, featuring a wide range of styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, bachata, and contemporary. It’s a highlight of the school year, full of energy, creativity, and fun.
Annually the College enters the SGCNZ Victoria University of Wellington Shakespeare Regional Festival. Festivals take place all over New Zealand, with approximately 3,000 students taking part nationally. Groups perform either a 5-minute student-directed extract or a 15-minute student or adult-directed extract.
In 2024 and 2025, Ashburton College entries were chosen to take part in the National Festival in Wellington, with students chosen each year from the cast to attend the National School Shakespeare Production, comprising 46 performers.
The College has an annual stage production, which is either a play or musical. This provides opportunities for students to be involved as part of the cast on stage or behind the scenes, assisting with backstage crew, production crew, creating props and set pieces, lighting set up and assistance or Front of House.
Opportunities to be involved in the technical side of theatre and performance are also available as part of Tech and Stage Crew, where students will learn skills such as lighting design, backstage support, makeup design, sound skills and take on roles to assist performances throughout the year.
Students are invited to be involved in Kapa Haka, a Maori cultural group that specialises in song and dance. Kapa Haka involves choral singing, dance and movements associated in the hand-to-hand combat practiced by Māori in mainly precolonial times, presented in a synchronisation of action, timing, posture, footwork and sound.
