Auckland Live and Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events Management Team
Glen Crighton AVM, Acting Director of Performing Arts
As Acting Director of Performing Arts, Glen Crighton brings a rich and extensive background in the performing arts industry, spanning three decades. He began his journey with the Hagley Theatre Company and further honed his skills at the esteemed Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.
Glen's career trajectory led him to The Edge, now known as Auckland Live, where he spent six years in various roles within the venue planning team. Subsequently, he transitioned to managing the Account Managers team for the past 17 years. In this capacity, Glen played a crucial role in fostering and managing relationships with key commercial theatre clients and major hirers, including the Royal New Zealand Ballet, New Zealand Opera, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He also oversaw bookings for a plethora of major festivals and liaised with a wide array of local and international promoters, such as Live Nation, TEG, Frontier, Adrian Bohm, and Brent Eccles Productions, among others. Glen's responsibilities also extended to managing commercial musicals at The Civic Theatre, further showcasing his comprehensive expertise in venue management and client relations.
Glen's commitment to professional development is evident through his recent studies at Venue Management School through the Venue Management Association, culminating in his recognition as an Accredited Venue Manager (AVM). This demonstrates his dedication to staying at the forefront of industry best practices and standards.
In his current role as Acting Director of Performing Arts, Glen assumes a pivotal leadership position during the transitional phase until the permanent director takes office in June 2024. With his extensive experience, strategic acumen, and proven track record, Glen is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the performing arts landscape and ensure continued success for the organisation.
Kerry Griffiths, Head of Technical Operations
Kerry has been Head of Technical Operations for Auckland Live and a key member of the lead team for over five years. Originally, Kerry was a classical musician but had a keen interest in acoustics, electronics and modern sound systems. He spent six years as a sound technician at the Christchurch Town Hall before moving to Auckland in 1991 to be a sound technician at the then recently opened Aotea Centre.
Since then, Kerry has had many different technical roles within the organisation, he has a vast knowledge of every aspect of the production department and this ever growing and developing organisation.
Angela Gourdie, Group Marketing Manager
Angela Gourdie (Ange) has worked with most of Auckland Live's promoters and presenters over the years providing insights and consultation on the New Zealand marketing and ticketing landscape as well as managing campaigns and building our audience networks in her role as Marketing and Audience Development Manager for Auckland Live.
Ange comes to the role with in-depth knowledge and understanding of commercial and performing arts events and a long standing relationship with our ticketing provider Ticketmaster. Prior to her time at Auckland Live, she worked for arts and entertainment companies who have a close association with Auckland Live including Auckland Arts Festival, Black Grace, Inside out Productions and Oceania Audio and Lighting.
David Bavage, Venue & Event Operations Director (Acting)
David Bavage (Dave) brings considerable expertise to the newly created role of Venue and Event Operations Director, particularly in creating successful, client-focused outcomes in venue and event management.
Prior to moving to this role Dave was Head of Visitor Experience with Auckland Live and Conventions, where he delivered event operations focused on the end-to-end customer journey for a wide variety of clients and events.
As Venue and Event Operations Director, Dave leads functions for Visitor Experience, Food & Beverage and Catering, Event Delivery and Operations, working with his team on customer-focused transformation to deliver an enhanced audience and client experiences, ensuring we place customer service at the heart of everything we do.
He also works closely with other Tātaki Auckland Unlimited business units on event operations links and synergies.
