Our Artistic Director and Production Lead work year round in preparation for NYDS!
They are supported by a dedicated and committed Board throughout the year and are joined during the week of NYDS by an amazing team of tutors, support staff and volunteers.
If you’re interested in joining the NYDS team in any capacity, please contact us.
Ben Fagan
Artistic Director
Ben Fagan is passionate about expanding the horizons of our creative rangatahi. He believes that every young person, whether they are from Kaitaia, Gore or anywhere in between, should have access to top-level practitioners.
As a producer Ben has worked with London Film and Comic Con, NZ Fringe, NZ Poetry Slam, NZ Youth Choir & Choirs Aotearoa NZ. Ben also co-founded Motif Poetry, a charitable trust dedicated to teaching and producing live poetry in Aotearoa, which now runs annual events in Dunedin, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Hamilton and Tauranga. He currently works for The Spinoff.
Ben is an accomplished writer and performer, having toured both nationally and internationally. He is a former NYDS student.
Legacy Staff
NYDS Artistic Directors
1994 – 1995 Ken Keys
1997 – 1998 Dale Corlett
1999 Barry Prescott
2000 Margot Bell-Connell
2001 – 2002 Cecilia Buyswheeler
2003 – 2008 Ken Keys
2009 – 2023 Claire Keys
2024 – Ben Fagan
NYDS Assistant Artistic Directors
2002 Kiri Rowe
2003 – 2004 Melanie Burr
2005 – 2007 Rachael Blampied
2008 Claire Keys
2009 Rachael Blampied & Cameron Jones
2010 Alex Hazelhurst
2011 Nikki Paton
2012 – 2015 Ben Fagan
2016 – 2017 Piera Maclean
2018 – 2019 Piera Maclean & Ben Fagan
2021 Alex Parish
2023 Kevin Keys
2024 – Leah Bell
Event Managers (Administrators, Producers, Executive Directors)
1991 – 1993 Ken Keys
1994 – 1995 Bruce Wilson
1997 Daphne Lawrence
1998 – 2006 Bev Hodges
2007 – 2012 Ani Tylee
2013 – 2019 Kelie Jensen
2021 – 2023 Tricia Johnson
2024 – Nicky Spicer