MNZ Interview: Savina Fountain / Big Fan

New Fans by Big Fan is a new all-ages show series designed to grow and connect the next generation of audiences and crew in Tāmaki Makaurau. Across four bi-monthly, low-cost, all-ages shows throughout 2026, the series creates real opportunities for rangatahi to experience live music in a safe, welcoming environment. The series is all about removing barriers for enjoying live music such as age restrictions, cost, and lack of representation, while building a stronger culture of going to and supporting local shows.

What inspired the creation of the New Fans all-ages live music series?

Going to local shows from a young age is often how you find your people, discover new bands, and become part of a community. Many of us who work in music started out going to local all-ages shows, but they have become harder to access for young people. There are fewer all-ages shows, rising costs, and many venues are restricted to over 18s. New Fans was created to help rebuild that pathway. We want to create a culture where young people regularly go to local gigs, supporting local artists, and feel like they belong in music spaces. I feel like there is currently a bit of an imbalance between the big arena and stadium shows and the small local shows and both are equally important if we want a thriving music scene and support the whole ecosystem.

For a young person with no industry experience, what opportunities are available and what kind of skills can participants gain through New Fans?

New Fans is designed to be accessible regardless of experience level. Alongside attending the shows, there are paid opportunities to be involved as performers and in behind the scenes roles – you can be the promoter, lighting operator and stagehand, photographer/videographer or door person, as well as a number of artist spots available for each show. The young people working in these crew roles will gain practical skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, project management, and event delivery. Just as importantly, they’ll build confidence, make connections, and gain a better understanding of the many different careers that exist within music.

Can you walk us through what it takes to put on a successful live show from start to finish?

There’s a lot more involved than most people probably realise. It starts with developing the idea or concept for the show, identifying the audience, and booking the lineup. As a part of the process, you’re working on your budget, marketing and promo, ticketing, production, venue logistics, and coordinating any workers and volunteers. On the day itself, there’s everything from making sure that the bands are arriving and soundchecking through to managing audiences and ensuring everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. After the event, there’s the ticket settlement and paying everyone, sending out the thank yous, sharing the photos and videos, and reflecting on what worked and what could be improved. Every show is the result of many people working together behind the scenes.

What challenges does the live music industry in New Zealand currently face?

I think that the biggest challenge we’re facing as the live music industry is the cost of living crisis. When people have less disposable income, unfortunately people do end up going out to less shows and events. This means that more than ever, people are really having to make choices on what they spend their money on, and if there’s an international band they really want to see, the local shows do suffer, given the ticket prices these days. We’re also seeing fewer opportunities for young people to experience live music before they turn 18. If we want people to continue supporting local music in the future, we need to introduce young people to local shows earlier and make them feel included.

How important are all-ages events for developing the next generation of music fans and artists?

They’re incredibly important. For many people, their first live music experience is what starts a lifelong connection with music. All-ages shows provide an environment where young people can discover local artists, meet like-minded people, and be able to let loose and have fun! They also allow young and emerging bands to play and build fans. Without these spaces, we risk creating barriers that disconnect young people from live music and local music.

What’s the most rewarding part of managing a venue like Big Fan?

Seeing people connect. That might be bands meeting other bands, or a photographer meeting a band, a young person attending their first gig, someone finding their favourite local band. Music does truly bring people together and it’s incredibly rewarding to see those connections happen every day. It’s especially more important in this day and age of social media and online interactions – we love the human-ness that live music brings!

Can you share a moment where you’ve seen a young artist or promoter take their first big step and thought, “This is why we do this”?

There have been many, but seeing our Ignite alumni go from having no experience to delivering their own all-ages shows is pretty special. Some of them are onto their 9^th show since finishing the programme! I remember a young person say to me that they like spreadsheets now, and how they ‘get’ budgeting – and I can’t smirk more at that! That’s not just someone learning about being a promoter; they’re learning skills that they’ll take with them for life!

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self if they wanted to work in the music industry?

I would say to keep following your gut instinct and not how you’re ‘supposed’ to do it. I’ve been putting on shows since I was 15 years old and I think the more I learnt about how to do it ‘properly’, or follow the numbers or any trends, the worse that they got..! Just keep doing what you’re doing and back yourself and say yes to opportunities! The industry is built on relationships so the more you can build on them, the opportunities will follow.

How has support from Auckland Council helped bring this initiative to life?

Support from Auckland Council has enabled us to create these paid opportunities for the rangatahi taking part. They have a focus on young people participating in the arts, and we’re very lucky to have their support and a Council who care about initiatives like this.

What impact do you hope New Fans will have on the wider Auckland music community?

We hope it helps build a stronger culture of supporting local music. Success isn’t just about the number of people attending shows. It’s about creating future gig-goers, future artists, future promoters, future crew, and future industry professionals. If more young people feel connected to their local music community, the benefits will be felt across the entire ecosystem.

Imagine it’s 2036 and we’re looking back at the first New Fans programme. What would make you feel it had been a complete success?

I’d love to hear someone say they took part in New Fans as a teenager and that experience changed the direction of their life. Maybe they’re now a venue manager, a promoter, a sound engineer, or a working musician. If New Fans helps create a generation of people who feel connected to music and actively contribute to the community, that would be a huge success.

How can people apply/get involved?

Head over to bigfan.co.nz and follow the links to New Fans to buy a ticket to the show, and take part behind the scenes!