The National Library’s released a new website, currently in beta, that one aims to rule them all. It’s the first effort in their federated search project, Discover, Deliver, Interact (dubbed DDI). The URL is http://find.natlib.govt.nz/ and the technical lead on the project has blogged about it and invited comment on the beta at the Library Tech NZ blog.

This follows hot on the heels of the updated Papers Past – more papers, everything digitised, and running very fast server. One of the new papers is the NZ Truth up to 1930 so there’s plenty of new material available. More information’s available at the National Library website.

The New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off this month, opening in Auckland on July 9 before heading out around the rest of the country. Included in this year’s programme is a retrospective on Barry Barclay, the acclaimed Māori feature-director. Caleb Starrenburg, an Auckland -based freelance journalist, previews the event.

“Barry was our first Māori feature-director and secured himself a unique place in New Zealand history,” says New Zealand International Film Festival Director Bill Gosden. “He embarked on groundbreaking process of discovery that helped open doors for a whole new wave of filmmakers.”

Read the rest of this NZLive article here.

Not satisfied with covering NZ culture onshore, NZLive.com likes to keep an eye on outstanding Kiwis wherever in the world they shine their light.

The greatest contemporary art show on earth got under way this June. The 53rd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia will run right through until December. The event is huge with 70 countries presenting work by their most significant artists. Kiwi artists Judy Millar and Francis Upritchard are representing New Zealand in the six month exhibition.

It’s the fourth time we’ve been to Venice and it’s a great chance for New Zealand to strut its stuff on the international art stage. Creative NZ has put together the official NZ at Venice site where you can keep up-to-date on all the happenings with a blog, profiles and the chance to take a virtual tour through the NZ exhibitions.

If you aren’t able to make it to Venice this year, Te Papa will be hosting a special exhibition of the 2009 Venice NZ entries as part of the 2010 New Zealand International Arts Festival.

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Young and Hungry is back for its 16th year running with three productions on not one but two stages. The productions run in tandem in Wellington and Auckland from Friday 10 July. Here’s Jehan Casinader with more.

Life in South Auckland. The secrets of a trashy nightclub. The need to find faith. These are the central themes of three new plays to be showcased at the Young and Hungry Festival of New Works in July. The plays are unique and distinct, but they share a common strand: every young person’s desire to answer the question: “How do I fit?”

Read the rest of this NZLive article here.

Fiona Oliver looks ahead to the NZ Body Art Awards 2009: Fantasia Asia, being held on Thursday 25 July at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna.

All bets are on as to whether the Supreme Winner of the Body Arts Awards for the last two years, Carmel McCormick, will win for the third year running. Like many of those competing in the 2009 awards, her first foray into the art was modest. Face painting at a children’s party led to painting one of the mums for a contest at a local pub, and now she has her own long-running body-painting business.

Read the rest of this NZLive article here.