Dawkins among headliners at International Arts Festival

Controversial science and religion writer Richard Dawkins will feature in the New Zealand International Arts Festival in Wellington next year.

Joining the outspoken atheist author in the festival lineup will be Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, Russian conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy, history writer and cultural critic Simon Schama and jazz singers Dianne Reeves and Patti Austin.

The biennial festival is New Zealand's largest cultural event, and celebrates arts entertainment from New Zealand and around the world .

A total of 930 artists from 30 countries will participate in next year's festival, held from February 26 to March 21.

Among the performances would be 18 Australasian premieres, artistic director Lissa Twomey said.

A new performance venue, the Pacific Blue Festival Club, would be built in Shed 6 on the Wellington waterfront for the festival.