The team

Evangelina Telfar

Ali Foa’i

Ali Foa’i (Mutalau — Niue, Fakaofo — Tokelau, Nukufetau — Tuvalu, Pago Pago - American Samoa) is a respected Pacific arts leader, storyteller, and creative strategist, joining the Queer Arts Trust board with over 15 years of experience across Aotearoa’s arts and culture sector.

Ali currently serves as Manager Pacific Arts, Cultivation at Creative New Zealand, where he supports the delivery of the Pacific Arts Strategy 2023–2028 and leads funding and development programmes that uplift Pacific artists both nationally and internationally. His role centres on strengthening the Vā — the sacred relational space — within the Pacific arts ecosystem, championing approaches that empower artists and build thriving, culturally anchored communities.

A trained actor, writer, and producer, Ali holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington. His body of work spans theatre, festivals, film, and television, with creative credits in both local and international contexts.

Prior to joining Creative New Zealand, Ali was closely involved with Wellington City Council’s events team, contributing to the delivery of major cultural celebrations such as Pasifika, Matariki, Waitangi Day, and CubaDupa.

Ali brings to the Queer Arts Trust a deep commitment to intersectional advocacy and visibility for queer Pacific artists. His leadership reflects a belief in the power of creativity to honour identity, nurture belonging, and inspire transformative change across our communities.

Evangelina Telfar (she/they) is a playwright and theatre practitioner who has been involved in the theatre scene of Te-Whanganui-a-tara for over ten years both on and off stage. They completed their Masters in Scriptwriting through the International Institute of Modern Letters in 2021, with Ken Duncum and received an exit Scholarship for her thesis. 

Evangelina’s staged plays include Surgery in Mind, Biased Beyond Belief, Binge & Chill and Celestial Nobodies. Celestial Nobodies has been performed twice at BATS Theatre with positive audience feedback and critical acclaim. This play was shortlisted for Playmarket’s Plays for the Young Award 2022. Her short plays Windows and Doors and Beck and Call have both been performed at Circa Theatre and commended for the PANZ 10-minute Playwriting Competition. 

Evangelina’s production company, Potentially Playing Productions, won the award for “Most Original Concept” and was nominated for “Best Design” for Nelson Fringe 2020. Most recently, in November 2023, Evangelina’s new work Naturally Curious had a very successful two-week premiere season at BATS Theatre with the support of CNZ funding, Wellington City Council and Performing Arts Foundation.

Kate Spencer aka Creatif Kate

Creatif Kate (she/her) is well-known on the poetry, comedy, and cabaret circuits of Wellington.

She’s a poet, producer, performer, photographer, preacher – basically, if it starts with ‘p’ she’s in. She’s filthy, flirty, and funny; sexy, saucy, and sensational; raunchy, ridiculous and ravishing. You won’t believe what comes out of her lips.

Kate’s debut solo show “Squirt” won a tour ready award in 2019 and the sequel “Squirt 2: Cum Again?!” won a marketing award in 2022. She was nominated multiple times at the 2021, 2022, & 2023 Wellington Comedy Awards winning “Most Innovative” in 2021 & 2023 and “Best Regular Show” for Femmes & Thems in 2022 and 2023.

In 2023, Kate was awarded an Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award for her services to the arts. She identifies as a queer, disabled, intersectional feminist and strives to create safe spaces, especially for marginalised communities.

Kate is founder and former Co-Director (dictator?!) of DAT Fest, the Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival https://www.daftnz.com/

Hannah Darling

Rose Jang

Rose Jang (they/them) has over a decade experience working a myriad of roles at arts festivals of all descriptions in Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Originally from Victoria, BC, Canada, Rose came up through the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit and spoken word poetry scene, where they produced the Victoria Fringe Festival and founded the Winnipeg Spoken Word Festival. After falling in love with Aussie comedy, they were Just for Laughs Montreal's inaugural social media and website manager, then moved to Australia where they worked in the partnerships and events team at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Rose immigrated to Pōneke, Aotearoa in 2019, where they have held roles at NZ Fringe, CubaDupa, BATS Theatre, NZ International Film Festival, and Creative New Zealand. They run a weekly enewsletter, 'Pōneke performing arts listings', which collates every theatre show in Wellington; and co-founded Good Luck Craft Club, a monthly craft space for Asians in Pōneke. Rose has whakapapa to Guangdong, China and Yorkshire, England.

Hannah Darling (she/her) is an award-winning Drag King with over seven years’ experience in performing and producing Drag and Cabaret shows. Hannah has experience running several successful small businesses and as Willy SmacknTush she has achieved key accolades including 2019 Winner of Mx Capital Drag, Adelaide Tour Ready Award winner at the 2023 Fringe Festival, as well as participating in Warner Brothers reality TV show House of Drag (aired on TVNZ in 2020).

Willy has a loyal Wellington fanbase and is well known in the community for their drag, activism, and producing. Their website is coming soon: www.willysmackntush.com

El Yule

El Yule (she/they) has over a decade of experience performing and producing events in Pōneke – from dance and theatre to comedy and drag. They now work in the mental health sector and are passionate about prioritising hauora both on and off-stage, with a particular emphasis on neurodivergence and accessibility.