Auckland Arts Festival 2018

Spanning theatre, dance, music, comedy and visual arts, get ready for a non-stop showcase of New Zealand and international acts at Auckland Arts Festival 2018.

With a festival programme ranging from the most gloriously classical to the very edge of contemporary, plus the many free, family-friendly and community-orientated events; there is something for everyone.

The 2018 programme is led by the famous English National Ballet and their stunning new work Akram Khan’s Giselle and the hit theatrical adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984, alongside À Ố Làng Phố, a new family circus show from Vietnam; a return to the stage for a celebrated comedy troupe in The Naked Samoans Do Magic; two exhilarating encounters with one of the world’s most audacious composers, Max Richter, including his epic eight-hour overnight concert Sleep; a searing new play from a giant of the theatre, Hone Kouka, in Bless The Child; the world premiere of New Zealand-raised Sri Lankan playwright Ahi Karunaharan’s Tea. and international theatre star Robert Lepage’s ground-breaking work The Far Side of the Moon.

In 2018, the Festival Playground at Silo Park brings music, art, food and family fun to Auckland’s waterfront for the duration of the festival. Designed by creative genius Angus Muir, the new precinct will feature a host of exciting local and international music acts, including Emily King, Anoushka Shankar, Eru Dangerspiel and Neil. And alongside these concerts, we’ve made room for quite possibly the coolest thing in the world: an enormous House of Mirrors that will wow everyone from wide-eyed youngsters, to thrill seekers, explorers and selfie fanatics.

Taking place each March, the Auckland Arts Festival is a globally recognised event that celebrates people and culture, and showcases the unrivalled location, cultural diversity and vibrant energy of New Zealand’s largest city.

Auckland Arts Festival receives core funding from Auckland Council and Creative New Zealand.