Arts & Culture

The New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival is returning to the region. The lineup includes 11 incredible speakers, 64 awe-inspiring films, 15 world premieres and mostly NZ premieres. It kicks off on Friday, 20 June, in Wānaka before heading to Queenstown.

Young original up-and-coming artists around the country will get a chance to shine at the regional finals of Smokefreerockquest.

Talented Scottish musician Pol Nicholson will take the stage with Andy Bell at Blue Door for Crowded In the House this week. The show is a captivating and gleeful celebration of Kiwi icons Crowded House.

Light-up giant sculptures, luminous flora and fauna, and interactive installations are heading to Kiwi Park for the winter.

Fast forward to 2030, what will the world look like? According to Heath Franklin, aka Chopper, humanity is all but wiped out and he’s the only one that can save us from the Softcockalypse. He’s bringing his comedy show to the Memorial Centre at the end of this month, where he’ll explain his plan to restart civilisation.

The Memorial Centre will be transformed into an enchanted woods this week as Showbiz Queenstown take over with Into the Woods. Fairy tales will collide and reality bites in the magical production.

Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray is coming to our shores to perform a solo acoustic show. Known for tunes such as So Beautiful, Wouldn’t It Be Good and Better Days, he’ll take the stage at Yonder on Wednesday to perform some old classics and new tunes.

Alternative-folk artist Reb Fountain will play at Sherwood this Sunday as part of her nation-wide tour. The tour is in support of her latest album, How Love Bends, which stays true to her genre-defining sound – smooth and captivating.

Amazing food, wine, arts, comedy, music and sporting events – all that and more is on the agenda at the 39th Arrowtown Autumn Festival.

Explore memory, place and change in Alta (2016-2024). It’s an immersive exhibition by Marc Blake now on at Te Atamira, featuring eight years of photographs centered on a solitary basketball hoop in Kawarau Falls Park.

Music lovers, rejoice! Easter Weekend 2025 promises to be a festive weekend rich in musical celebrations for our local community and visitors.

On the second Tuesday of each month, Te Atamira hosts its free Community Draw event. It encourages participants to embrace the joy of different approaches to drawing, featuring a range of techniques.

Queenstown’s Whakatipu Music Festival returns to the Arts calendar this Easter featuring superb live performances.

Arrowtown Creative Arts Society (ACAS) is presenting a rare opportunity to hear from one of the leading voices in the literary world. A

The Aotearoa Surf Film Festival (ASFF) is rolling into Queenstown and Wānaka this week. It’s the 13th annual festival, which celebrates the best of surf culture and cinema, as well as connections to the environment.

The streets of Wānaka are about to be taken over by a troupe of inspirational dance luminaries.

Alien Weaponry have been making waves around the world’s metal scene, singing in te reo Māori.

The 11th Wānaka Festival of Colour is on its way, kicking off on 26 March, and with it comes Te Radar's Cookbookery, a comedic celebration of food from the beloved and bizarre cookbooks of our past.

The Brushes to Brushes exhibition opened recently at Cromwell Museum, featuring 16 paintings from Bruce Aitken.

Mundi Trio are heading to town this week, bringing with them a blend of Brazilian and African drums, an array of flutes and voice, dancing, electric guitar and bass.