23 October 2025 7:00pm - 9:00 pm 
Great Hall, The Arts Centre 
Join Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga for an evening celebrating 50 years of creativity at The Arts Centre.
A night of quickfire talks and live performances from the vibrant community of creatives who have been connected to this artistic hub over the years, including:
- Artist and performer Juanita Hepi (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāpuhi, Moriori), will MC the evening.
- Singer-songwriter Holly Arrowsmith will perform
- Contemporary Pacific performing arts collective Pacific Underground will also perform
- Rollicking Entertainment buskers David Ladderman and Lizzie Tollemache will dazzle and amaze!
- Stewart Ross will talk about the early days of The Court Theatre
- Jamie Hanton will recount his time at contemporary arts space The Physics Room
- Dr Jo Burzynska – a former artist-in-residence and multisensory expert will talk about her practice
Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre is built above a spring which has been a source of water and life to the surrounding area and people for centuries. In te ao Māori, matatiki/springs are bearers of knowledge and wellbeing. It is appropriate that this place has become a place of culture, art and learning.
This event celebrates the proposal by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to recognise Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre as a National Historic Landmark, a programme that recognises and celebrates heritage places that hold exceptional significance to Aotearoa New Zealand. These are sites whose stories have shaped our past – and continue to influence our present and future.