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Kupe: Festival Opening Night

Kupe: Festival Opening Night

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Free 23 Feb

As dusk falls, join a cast of thousands on Wellington’s stunning waterfront for the once-in-a-lifetime 2018 New Zealand Festival opening night event, Kupe.
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Gavin Hipkins: The Domain

Gavin Hipkins: The Domain

Free, Visual Arts 25 Nov – 11 Mar

A thought-provoking and illuminating survey revealing one of New Zealand’s most innovative and subversive investigators of the possibilities of photography.
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Kupe Landing: Petone Family Day

Kupe Landing: Petone Family Day

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Free, Music 24 Feb

Join friends and whānau for a day of music, food and fun on the Petone Foreshore, as a magnificent fleet of waka land on the beach in part two of A Waka Odyssey celebrations.
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Ka Tito Au: Kupe’s Heroic Journey

Ka Tito Au: Kupe’s Heroic Journey

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Kupe Dreaming, Theatre 24 Feb – 04 Mar

Kupe, the great Pacific explorer and navigator, is the hero of this lively, lyrical solo show by treasured local poet and storyteller Apirana Taylor.
FreeNZWriters & readers
Photobook New Zealand 2018

Photobook New Zealand 2018

Writers & Readers 07 – 11 Mar

Feast your eyes on the best independent photobook publishing from New Zealand and around the world.
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He Tohu

He Tohu

Visual Arts 19 – 31 Dec

A declaration. A treaty. A petition. Discover the signatures the shape New Zealand at the National Library
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The Romance of Paeora and Hinemāia

The Romance of Paeora and Hinemāia

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Kupe Dreaming 24 – 25 Feb

Gather round for this free, family-friendly evening of Māori storytelling, music and performance and delight in the adventures of young hero Paeora, future navigator.

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Oceans in Peril

Oceans in Peril

A Waka Odyssey, Kupe Dreaming 28 Feb

Join us for a panel discussion as A Waka Odyssey's Pacific navigators share their stories, and insights into the dangers to oceans and animals. 
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The Language of Things: Meaning and Value in Contemporary Jewellery

The Language of Things: Meaning and Value in Contemporary Jewellery

Free, Visual Arts 24 Feb – 24 Jun

How meaning and value are challenged through the often-surprising materials used in contemporary jewellery from Europe, America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
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Adam Portraiture Award 2018

Adam Portraiture Award 2018

Free, Visual Arts 01 Mar – 27 May

The 15th annual Adam Portraiture Award – New Zealand's premier portrait competition – exhibits the best in contemporary painted portraiture.
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This is New Zealand

This is New Zealand

Free, Visual Arts 03 Mar – 15 Jul

Venice Biennale works by Michael Stevenson, Michael Parekowhai, Simon Denny and more.
Free
ARTIST TALK: Barber Shop Chronicles

ARTIST TALK: Barber Shop Chronicles

Artist Talks, Theatre 28 Feb

Meet the dynamic cast behind the five-star, UK smash-hit The Weta Digital Season of Barber Shop Chronicles at this free, public post-show Artist Talk.
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ARTIST TALK: Mechanical Ballet

ARTIST TALK: Mechanical Ballet

Artist Talks, Music 16 Mar

Delve into the fascinating world of self-playing, mechatronic music with the creative minds behind Mechanical Ballet in this free, public post-show Artist Talk.
Free
ARTIST TALK: SWAN LAKE / LOCH NA hEALA

ARTIST TALK: SWAN LAKE / LOCH NA hEALA

Artist Talks, Dance, Theatre 15 Mar

Get up close and personal with the boundary-busting cast of The Wellington Airport Season of Swan Lake / Loch Na hEala in this free, public post-show Artist Talk.
Free
ARTIST TALK: The Select (The Sun Also Rises)

ARTIST TALK: The Select (The Sun Also Rises)

Artist Talks, Theatre 27 Feb

Learn how director John Collins and the Elevator Repair Service ensemble brought the classic Ernest Hemingway novel to life in The Select (The Sun Also Rises) in this free, public post-show Artist Talk.
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Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists

Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists

Free, Visual Arts 17 Mar – 08 Jul

A celebration of the role the Pacific Sisters collective has played in giving voice and visibility to Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa.
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Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand

Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand

Free, Visual Arts 17 Mar – 31 Dec

Drawn from Te Papa’s extensive collection of New Zealand painting, sculpture and photography, Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand explores questions of art, identity and cross-cultural exchange.
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2nd Pacific Climate Change Conference

2nd Pacific Climate Change Conference

A Waka Odyssey, Kupe Dreaming 21 – 23 Feb

This conference will bring together a broad range of voices on climate change – from the science to the impacts on policy and public implications.
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Luke Willis Thompson

Luke Willis Thompson

Visual Arts 21 Feb – 15 Apr

Using the entire gallery as his stage, this new solo exhibition continues the artist's investigation into cinema and performance as mechanisms of violence and counterviolence. 
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Wellington Park(ing) Day

Wellington Park(ing) Day

Free 09 Mar

Providing temporary public open space . . . one Parking spot at a time. Park(ing) Day is an annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and designers collaborate temporarily to transform metered Parking spaces into living Parks.
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Celestial Navigation with Piripi Smith

Celestial Navigation with Piripi Smith

A Waka Odyssey, Kupe Dreaming 26 Feb

Discover how traditional Pacific navigators sailed waka hourua (double-hulled sailing canoes) across the Pacific Ocean without using instruments or modern technology.

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The 26th Annual Wallace Art Awards

The 26th Annual Wallace Art Awards

Visual Arts 19 Feb – 25 Mar

For the first time in Wellington City, more than 50 works by the current winners and finalists of the Wallace Art Awards are on display. 
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Pasifika Porirua

Pasifika Porirua

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Kupe Dreaming 03 Mar

Join us for this free, whānau-friendly celebration featuring Pasifika-flavoured fun, music and food galore – the last stop in the Waka Odyssey tour of the Wellington region.
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Hīnātore public event: Pacific Explorers and Navigation

Hīnātore public event: Pacific Explorers and Navigation

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Kupe Dreaming 24 Feb

Come and explore the navigation techniques used by the Pacific Peoples on their journey to Aotearoa in this special drop-in session at Te Papa's new learning lab, Hīnātore.
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Kupe Landing: Petone Beach Clean-up

Kupe Landing: Petone Beach Clean-up

A Waka Odyssey, Family 25 Feb

Join us to give some love back to this beautiful beach. Together with Sustainable Coastlines' Love Your Coast programme and the Petone Beach Clean-up Crew.
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ARTIST TALK: The Piano – The Ballet

ARTIST TALK: The Piano – The Ballet

Artist Talks, Dance 23 Feb

Discover what inspired the transformation of the much-loved, award-winning New Zealand film into The Piano: The Ballet in this free, public pre-show Artist Talk.
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Ruth Watson: Other Worlds

Ruth Watson: Other Worlds

Free, Visual Arts 21 Feb – 01 Jan

A major new public sculpture will be launched for the opening of the Festival, created by internationally recognised, Auckland-based artist Ruth Watson, and commissioned by the Wellington Sculpture Trust.
Free
ARTIST TALK: Jordi Savall with Hespèrion XXI

ARTIST TALK: Jordi Savall with Hespèrion XXI

Artist Talks, Music 24 Feb

Travel through time, cultures and continents with early music master Jordi Savall in a discovery of the ancient music of Spain and Mexico in this free, public pre-show Artist Talk.
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ARTIST TALK: OrphEus – a dance opera

ARTIST TALK: OrphEus – a dance opera

Artist Talks, Dance, Music 17 Mar

Hear how the myth and music of Orpheus inspired Michael Parmenter's new epic OrphEus – a dance opera in this free, public pre-show Artist Talk. 
Free
The Secrets of Mona Lisa

The Secrets of Mona Lisa

Visual Arts 10 Feb – 15 Apr

Discover the amazing secrets behind the world’s most famous painting. 
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Brass in the Bay

Brass in the Bay

A Waka Odyssey, Family, Kupe Dreaming, Music 27 Feb

Pack a twilight picnic for a concert with a difference on Wellington’s popular Oriental Bay beach.
Free
Women at the Frontline of Climate Change in Vanuatu

Women at the Frontline of Climate Change in Vanuatu

Free, Visual Arts 23 Feb – 08 Apr

This exhibition brings to light the risks that climate change presents to Pacific Island women and the issues we share as Pacific neighbours.
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Voyaging across the Pacific

Voyaging across the Pacific

Artist Talks, A Waka Odyssey, Kupe Dreaming 27 Feb

A fascinating expert panel discussion about the first Pacific people's journey to Aotearoa. 
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ARTIST TALK: Wild Dogs Under My Skirt

ARTIST TALK: Wild Dogs Under My Skirt

Artist Talks, Theatre 10 Mar

Led by writer Tusiata Avia and director Anapela Polata’ivao, hear from the strong female voices behind Wild Dogs Under My Skirt in this free, public post-show Artist Talk. 
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Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa

Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa

Free, Visual Arts 17 Mar – 31 Dec

An exploration of how abstract shape, colour and pattern have captured our imaginations in the Pacific, featuring a new immersive commission by Tiffany Singh.
FreeNZ
Lisa Walker: I want to go to my bedroom but I can’t be bothered

Lisa Walker: I want to go to my bedroom but I can’t be bothered

Free, Visual Arts 17 Mar – 22 Jul

“Just because it’s jewellery doesn’t mean we have to clam up and be well-behaved.”