Wellington’s New Zealand Festival saw the launch of its 2016 line-up earlier tonight. Plenty of highlights, so be sure to check the link there for the details – Miranda July will perform a keynote that’s part-lecture/part-performance and will take the audience through her artist-career from struggling enthusiast to short-story writer, filmmaker and novelist. There’s events for fans of theatre, dance, visual arts – there’s the writers week that runs inside (but essentially separate to the festival – some superb talent visiting) but my focus for arts festival is music.

So let’s look at some highlights.

Wynton Marsalis is here for a week – performing with the NZSO, offering masterclasses for students, performing with his Lincoln Centre Orchestra.

Sufjan Stevens will perform two shows.

Calexico returns.

Paul Kelly and Archie Roach are among the performers in dirtsong – a celebration of Australia’s indigenous music.

Julia Deans performs her tribute to Joni Mitchell.

The Phoenix Foundation will do a show.

Billed as The Dunedin Double – it’s back-to-back one-nighters from The Chills and The Verlaines.

A recital from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will feature pieces from Brahms, Schubert, Strauss and others.

Archie Roach will perform a solo concert.

There are free events, family events, artist talks. And plenty of things I haven’t mentioned.

Wellington’s New Zealand Festival for 2016 will take place in and around the capital city between February 26 and March 20.

The full program is here.