Rosabel Tan is a New Zealand writer, strategist and creative producer of Peranakan Chinese descent. She advocates for the arts in New Zealand, specifically highlighting the work of Asian diaspora artists. Tan's key roles include being a director of Satellites and a founding editor of Pantograph Punch (2010-2024).
Life and career Tan moved to New Zealand at the age of eight. She used drama and creative arts as a vehicle for self-expression and connection with others.
Later she completed a Master of Arts in Psychology with the University of Auckland, and a Master of Arts with distinction in Creative Writing through the International Institute of Modern Letters Writing Programme at Victoria University of Wellington. As a University of Auckland Liggins Institute Research Assistant, she had two psychology papers published in the academic journals Personal Relationships and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Additionally in 2016 she worked as a Senior Research Analyst at Morris Hargreaves McIntyre (a UK-based research consultancy) to expand her knowledge on communication between the arts sector and their audiences.
Tan was also a recipient of the Lancewood/Horoeka Reading Grant in 2015, a summer programme where she strengthened skills surrounding analysis of works and providing critiques. However she first fed her passion for writing in 2009 as theatre and arts editor for the University of Auckland's student magazine, Cracuum. She then became a founding editor of Pantograph Punch arts and culture journal in late 2010, alongside Matt Harnett and Joe Nunweek, until approximately 2016. During her time at Pantograph Punch she held a range of roles including director from 2010 - 2019, a board member from 2013 - 2024, and Mema Poari Secretary from 2017-2024.
Tan has collaborated with other creatives to produce installations, written publications, panel discussions, and events, as well as exhibiting and publishing her own solo works. Her level of engagement has seen her in the following roles: contributing editor at Paperboy in 2018, a Talks programmer for Auckland Arts Festival from 2019 - 2020, a guest judge in residency as Studio One Toi Tū in 2021, Curator Asia for the Auckland Writers Festival in 2022, a co-programmer for Verb Festival, and a programme manager for The Next Page. Tan has contributed her time to multiple governance groups including Pantograph Punch, Silo Theatre, The Public Art Advisory Panel for Auckland Council, and Te Rōpū Mana Toi Creative New Zealand Advocacy Advisory.
She is a director of Satellites, an online platform advocating for and supporting New Zealand artists of Asian descent.
Projects Many of her projects have been presented at the Auckland Arts Festival, Te Papa Tongarewa, Taranaki Arts Festival, CubaDupa, and Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival.
+Creative ProductionsYearProjectMediumSource2018The ClawPlayable claw machine installation in a shop^^^2020Maree Sheehan's ŌtairongoAural portraits of mana wāhine Māori^^^2021Hit Me Baby One More Rhyme Poetry karaoke installation^^^HarvestInteractive ceramic installation^^^2025An InheritanceInstallation by children of Greater Manchester collaborating with Andy Field, Beckie Darlington, and Rosabel Tan^^^ The Claw was curated by Tan and a team of artists including Hanna Shim, Adam Ben Dror, Michael McCabe, Amelia Murray, Angus Muir, Hayden Eastmond-Mein, Louis Olsen, Scott Satherley, Frith Walker/Panuku, Dawn Sacayan, and Helen Sheehan. The work was originally commissioned by Auckland Council for an empty storefront in Northcote, Auckland but its meaning evolved over time. It was later on show at Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru, from 16 March to 5 May 2019. Artist Michael McCabe described it as an interactive innovation that matched the changing landscape of the area and activated the space for passersby. In 2018 the exhibition was awarded Gold by the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards in the Spatial Exhibition and Temporary Structures category.
This theme of applying a youthful feel to a thought provoking installation is also seen in An Inheritance by Rosabel Tan, Andy Field, Beckie Darlington and over 500 Year 5 kids from Greater Manchester. The installation was presented at the Manchester Art Gallery for the Manchester International Festival 2025, and remained for viewing from 4 July to 2 November 2025. The exhibitions brings together the ideas of the younger generation on what 2125 could be like and how they wish to leave something behind for that future generation. The gallery states that this compilation of physical goods, written ideas and thoughts were all brought together and then put away at the end of the summer like a time capsule for the next 100 years. Additionally to ensure that the collection remains secure for that period of time a 'special ceremony' with city officials was held to sign on the matter.
Alongside her creative productions, her written works have been published in various magazines and media including Sport, Hue & Cry, 1972, Metro Mag, The Spinoff, and Tell You What: Great New Zealand Non-Fiction 2017. +Written PublicationsDateTitleSiteGenreSource13/10/10The New Zealand Story?The Pantograph PunchArticle^^^2011Let's talk about us: Attachment, Relationship-focused disclosure, relationship qualityPersonal RelationshipsResearch Paper^^^2011The costs and benefits of sexism: Resistance to influence during relationship conflictJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyResearch Paper^^^02/03/11-26/10/13ConstantinopleTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^2012The Souls They SavedHue & Cry Journal no. 6, p. 141-150Short story in issue 'An exercise in optimism'^^^08/03/12-01/12/12Richard Meros Salutes The Southern ManTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^17/03/12-07/04/12In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)Te Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^20/03/12-24/03/12Little Histories Of The Life OrdinaryTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^23/02/12-18/03/12Top GirlsTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^18/04/12-02/03/13Mrs Van GoghTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^30/05/12-10/06/12CopenhagenTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^28/06/12-22/07/12Black ConfettiTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^10/08/12-01/09/12The PrideTe Whare Tapere Tirohanga Hou TheatreviewTheatre Review^^^04/09/14Real Housewives, True Detectives, and the Purgatory in BetweenThe SpinOffReview^^^29/10/14MacGyver's Tips for Answering the Tough QuestionsThe SpinOffInterview^^^17/11/14Review: Pure and DeepThe Pantograph PunchReview^^^17/12/14Inside Armageddon's Ice-Cream Eating CompetitionThe Pantograph PunchInternet Histories^^^22/12/14Ten Plays We Loved in 2014: Auckland EditionThe Pantograph PunchPerformance^^^09/04/15The Critic in New ZealandNZ Poetry ShelfEssay^^^07/11/16The Pantograph Punch RelaunchesThe Pantograph PunchNews^^^11/07/16Critic's Day: Duncan Greive wrote a horrible review of Open Souls. The band recorded a song about him. Years later, they talked it outThe SpinOffReview^^^08/02/17Lee Mingwei on Creating Acts of KindnessThe Pantograph PunchProfile^^^26/02/17Strange and Empty Plots: A Review of Spirit HouseThe Pantograph PunchPerformance review^^^20/09/20How to Feed a Hungry GhostCity Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi Blog post^^^23/11/23New Mirrors: Strengthening Arts and Culture Media for Aotearoa New ZealandCreative NZReport^^^Nov 2023I've polished this anger and now it's a knife - A ConversationFine Print Magazine, Issue 33: ComplicityArticle^^^06/03/24New Waves: Meeting the Growing Hunger for Asian Art in AotearoaAsia New Zealand FoundationReport^^^
+Panels/TalksDateTitleLocationPeopleSource09/10/15Tell Them What You Think - Reviewing WorkshopEnjoy Contemporary Art SpaceRosabel Tan^^^Feb-Apr 2016Intermission - 2016 Auckland Arts Festival podcast seriesRNZJustin Gregory and Rosabel Tan^^^29/10/16-30/10/16Seen and Heard: Public Displays and Public Discourses a critical writing workshop covened by The Physics Room - Panel Discussion: Writing for a 'general' audienceThe Physics Room Contemporary Art SpaceDr Lara Strongman, Anthony Byrt, Sally Blundell, Rosabel Tan22/09/18Making Things HappenAAAH2018 (Asian Aotearoa Arts) Symposium at Te Papa Eric Ngan, Allan Xia, Lynda Chanwai-Earle, Rosabel Tan^^^02/05/18She Claims: Art Matters Auckland Art Gallery Julia Croft, Rosabel Tan^^^24/10/19Te Whāinga: A Culture Lab on Civility Workshops - At the bottom of every wishing well is a mother asking if you've had lunchSilo Park, Auckland - Auckland Museum & Smithsonian Asia Pacific American Centre (APAC)Kerry Ann Lee, Rosabel Tan^^^09/11/19LitCrawl: Ways of SeeingCity Gallery Wellington Te Whare ToiSinead Gleeson, Vanessa Crofskey, Mary Macpherson, Megan Dunn, Rosabel Tan^^^07/08/22Rosabel Tan: We Can Build a New Utopia Ngā Toi Advocacy Network PodcastRosabel Tan^^^11/10/22-23/12/22Rūbarū Digital Series: Ling Ma with Rosabel TanVerb Wellington (Festival)Ling Ma, Rosabel Tan^^^05/05/23Rosabel Tan explains the importance of a strong vision for the futureCreative New Zealand YouTubeRosabel Tan^^^13/04/24On Being Chinese - The PanelAuckland Art GalleryRosabel Tan, Bev Moon, Cindy Huang, Alice Canton^^^09/07/25MIF Artist Talk: An InheritanceFestival Square (The Social), Aviva Studios, Water Street, ManchesterAndy Field and Rosabel Tan speaking with Low Kee Hong^^^
References
External links
Pantograph Punch Satellites Rosabel Tan Website