Events for
Saturday 5th March
Paper Sky: A Love Story
Following the international success of The Arrival, NZ’s Red Leap Theatre returns with their magical new work, Paper Sky – A Love Story… more info Silver Stars
Extraordinary stories told by ordinary Irish blokes looking for happiness and fulfillment in a country challenged by their very existence... more info Live Live Cinema: Carnival of Souls
Carnival of Souls is the best film you’ve never seen and what better way to see it than with an entirely new, totally live soundtrack... more info Loin... (Far...)
An intense, poetic, piece of dance-theatre that explores the misshaping effects of foreign invasion and colonisation on individuals, families and society...
more info Who Are You?
A new dance piece directed by Neil Ieremia, Who Are You? features a company of exciting new performers - UrbanYOUTHMovement... more info Havoc in the Garden
A play about families – about the lies that parents tell, and children reveal; what holds families together and what tears them apart... more info Xerxes
Handel’s most popular opera, Xerxes is funny, poignant and fast moving with timeless themes of love, rivalry, courage and loyalty... more info Vietnamese Water Puppets
The enchanting ancient art of Vietnamese water puppetry comes to New Zealand for the first time... more info Smoke & Mirrors
A vaudevillian tap dancer, twisted chanteuse, sublime aerialist, death defying acrobats, an ooh-ahh magician – and the odd white rabbit… more info Jack DeJohnette
Jazz legend Jack DeJohnette performs his musical tribute to the great Miles Davis in this one-night-only Auckland exclusive... more info Ihimaera
Twelve of our best contemporary recording artists perform songs inspired by the rare and moving words of Witi Ihimaera... more info Héctor Zamora
White Noise: A unique project in three parts by Sao Paulo-based artist Héctor Zamora… more info Jim Allen: Contact 2011
Jim Allen's seminal 1974 work Contact will be restaged, with performances each Saturday of Auckland Arts Festival… more info Viewfinder
Viewfinder will project a survey of moving image works into Auckland’s public space 24 hours a day, seven days a week… more info Nuds
Acclaimed British artist Sarah Lucas exhibits her compelling new sculptural works... more info Look, Here
Auckland artist Finn Ferrier invites us to connect to the little acknowledged fabric of the city…. more info Daniel Crooks
Daniel Crooks develops a new work for Auckland public space exploring time and motion... more info Ngā Hau E Whā - The Four Winds
Leilani Kake's powerful new work challenges cultural taboos around nudity... more info Video Life
Ko Nakajima and Kentaro Taki offer a fascinating view of the historical and contemporary faces of Japanese video art. more info Upstream Midstream Downstream
John Malcolm and CLUI offer a sobering view of the Petroleum Industry… more info Fly-Tower: Performance Design Installation
FLY-TOWER showcases New Zealand innovation in the field of performance design… more info Incompatible Elements
Using video projection, soundscape and photographic imagery Incompatible Elements creates an immersive experience… more info Pūrākau
Leading artists from NZ, Cuba and Mexico exchange indigenous myths and legends through poster design… more info Nollywood
Pieter Hugo recreates the stereotypical characters from Nigeria’s Nollywood films, casually posed and stunningly photographed… more info The Heart of Everything
Fourteen artists and two distinct painting practices from Far North Queensland point to the intimate connection between people and land... more info Richard Parker: Master of Craft
Richard Parker's substantial influence on the New Zealand ceramic tradition is revealed in this exemplary exhibition. more info In Conversation
Enrich your Festival experience every weekday from 12.30pm – 1.30pm in the Pacific Crystal Palace Spiegeltent, Festival Garden Aotea Square. more info Master Classes and Workshops
Master classes and workshops - some free, some with an associated cost - offer participants the chance to learn from some of the bold and visionary artists performing at Auckland Arts Festival. more info Lautten Compagney Residency at The University of Auckland’s School of Music
During the Festival, Lautten Compagney in residence at The University of Auckland’s School of Music, offers a range of master classes free of charge, including workshops exploring specific instruments and emphasising historically informed playing techniques and stylistics.
more info Free Festival Garden Grooves: TV3 Garden Stage
The TV3 Garden Stage hosts a free daily music programme in the Festival Garden in Aotea Square, from 5pm on weeknights and 2pm on weekends. more info