Sound of our Streets, a captivating winter youth performance festival, electrified the bustling streets of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland with the dynamic sounds and infectious energy of talented rangatahi musicians. Spanning across two exciting weeks, YANZ proudly showcased a remarkable lineup of over 40 musicians, investing $15,000 in artist fees for local youth. This fueled over 100 hours of extraordinary individual performances and enthralling entertainment, captivating audiences at four local activation sites across the region. These sites included the iconic Ellen Melville Centre, the lively Pocket Park on Karangahape Road, and the vibrant Birkenhead Village.
From solo singer-songwriters to 4-piece jazz bands, the performances brought a youthful energy to public areas and increased foot traffic and engagement with the spaces. Running public performances like Sound of our Streets also increased the public's positive sentiments about the unique areas they took place in, providing the audience with a deeper social connection to their space and community. Many of the young performers YANZ engaged with provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, and asked for similar opportunities to perform in the future.