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.
23 October 2025 7:00pm – 9:00 pm at the Great Hall in the Arts Centre.