7 – 11 MAY 2019, 7:15PM
Chris Parker: Iconique
Q Theatre
305 Queen St, Auckland
Chris Parker, 2018’s Fred Winner for his smash hit show, Camp Binch, is hoping to fool himself that all those wasted hours on the internet watching videos on his phone of the greats (Garland, Streisand, Parton, Lupone…) was all actually in aid of his next thesis, ICONIQUE – the making of an icon. Join Chris for an hour of stories, jokes, songs, dances and wigs inspired by his influences. Who knows, maybe Chris will even make an icon of himself in the process? Presented at Q Theatre as apart of The Comedy Festival you can purchase tickets from The Comedy Festival website.
9 MAY – 9 JUNE
The Ei Project
Auckland Town Hall
301-317 Queen St, Auckland
Don’t miss the opportunity to come and admire a large-scale, handmade ei in Tāmaki Makarau this May. Sitting in pride of place on the iconic Auckland Town Hall the ei (necklace or garland) has been designed and created by the Pacifica Mamas. Launch Event – 9 May at 10:30am for a special ceremony to launch the ei. Bring your friends and family to hear guest speakers and enjoy performances by some of the children who helped to create the ei. The ei will be on display from 9 May until 9 June, so make sure to stop by and visit. You can also head over to Aotea Square and check out Auckland Live’s digital screen, which will feature some ei footage.
12 MAY, 10:30AM – 12:30AM
Women of K’ Road Walking Tour
Pigeon Park
Corner of Symonds St and Karangahape Rd
Celebrate women of K’ Road this Mother’s Day and learn while you walk. Karangahape Road is defined by the stories of its women – elites and outcasts – working and playing, loving and fighting, on and around the street. Some of these women are well known, others have barely been spoken of. Until now. Join well known, heritage tour guide Julie Gunn, on a unique walking tour this Mother’s Day! This tour looks at the unmistakable influence of women in shaping K’ Road’s culture and identity.
12 MAY, 12PM & 6PM
Merata: How Mum Decolonised The Screen – Mother’s Day Screenings
Academy Cinema
44 Lorne St, Auckland
To celebrate Mother’s Day this year Academy Cinemas will be playing Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, to showcase the strength and talent of woman filmmakers and their presence and contributions in the industry. “Merata Mita, pioneering Māori filmmaker and international champion of women in indigenous film, is celebrated by her youngest son, archivist Heperi Mita, collaborating with his siblings to deliver a richly personal portrait. By the time the pioneering indigenous filmmaker and activist Merata Mita died suddenly in 2010, she had packed an extraordinary amount of action into her 68 years. If her youngest son Heperi Mita became a film archivist and a filmmaker in order to discover the stories she did not live to tell him, then we in Aotearoa have something new to thank her for. His first film is a remarkable accomplishment, a compelling Great Woman portrait that speaks intimately from personal experience.” Tickets available from the Academy Cinemas website.
13 MAY, 6PM
The Trans Tasman Jazz Band Take Over
Good George Craft House
71 Tamaki Dr, Mission Bay
On 13 May the Craft House is pleased to present The Trans Tasman Jazz Band in house and taking over our Beer Hall for one night only. With hot, swinging New Orleans and Dixieland Jazz featuring some of the finest traditional musicians from Australia and NZ it’s going to be an amazing night. Doors open at 6pm with food and drinks available until late.
17 MAY, 9PM
No Standing Only Dancing
Raynham Park
145 Karangahape Rd, Auckland
No Standing Only Dancing is returning for another round and bringing the Studio 54 scene to Auckland. So tag your girls, tag your man, because it’s Friday night, and we’re all going dancing. No Standing Only Dancing, is a culture movement of people who love to dance to only the best disco/funk tracks created in the Studio 54 era. There’s no rules here, so dance how you want to dance, dress how you want to dress, do what you want to do, and be prepared to let go. As our VIP guests, you’ll be treated to a night in a Manhattan dance studio, immersed into a immersive wonderland created through only the finest DJs, visual and performance artists, and, like Studio 54, our aim is to have a contemporary and stylish production value that is second to none. Tickets can be purchased from the eventbrite website.
21 MAY, 1:30PM – 5:30PM
FutureSlam: Harnessing Technology To Amplify Arts and Culture
Auckland Museum
Auckland Domain, Parnell
Arts and cultural institutions are connected to our communities and reflect our identities. A changing digital landscape means our institutions have to quickly adapt and use technology in unique ways to remain relevant and engage audiences. Join some of Auckland’s arts and cultural leaders alongside international guest speakers for lightning talks and a keynote address from Seb Chan, followed by a panel discussion. Explore how technology is being amplified in more meaningful and personal ways, ways that not only inspire but create a forum for further discussion, partnerships and debate. This event aims to showcase the ways in which public institutions use new technologies to engage audiences and foster research and collaboration. Through sharing inspiring innovation, stories and exploring opportunities, see how technology can be meaningful and personal in ways that amplify the impact of arts, culture and technology. This event was created in partnership with Auckland Live, Auckland Art Gallery, AUT, Auckland Libraries and MOTAT as part of Techweek.
22 MAY, 6:30PM
Dialogue Matters
Q Theatre
305 Queen St, Auckland
New Zealand Comedy Trust Presents, Dialogue Matters. Like your comedy with a side of something more serious? Dialogue is the festival’s storytelling show, where comedians explore some of today’s most topical issues, hosted by Pax Assadi (Fricken Dangerous Bro). Thought-provoking, intimate and hilarious, you’ll definitely laugh, there might be tears, but you’ll absolutely have a great night out! Dialogue puts a bunch of top comedians in a room and challenges them to talk about what’s most important. Expect to hear about anything from gender politics to cultural identity to inequality to the environment and more. Tickets available on The Comedy Festival website.
29 JUNE – 28 JULY
World Press Photo Exhibition
Smith and Caughey
Level 6 Gallery Space
The prestigious exhibition of award-winning photos that capture the very best in global photo journalism has confirmed its return to Auckland’s Smith and Caughey’s Level 6 Gallery Space, Queen Street, thanks to the Rotary Club of Auckland. The World Press Photo Contest honours the incredible talents of press photographers who show great skill and creativity in capturing an event or issue of great journalistic importance from the past year. The 2019 contest drew entries from around the world: 4,738 photographers from 129 countries submitted 78,801 images. The World Press Photo Contest nominees are 43 photographers from 25 countries. Image credit: John Wessels, Agence France-Presse
