The Wellington City Council arts centre will include studios, arts offices, exhibition opportunities, hireable creative spaces, residencies and public programmes.

Toi Pōneke has supported Wellington artists for more than 20 years across film, visual arts, literature, theatre, dance and music.

The council says Toi Aro will continue that work from its new Market Lane premises, with a focus on practical space and support for the creative sector.

The new site was blessed this morning, and the name Toi Aro was gifted by mana whenua kaumātua Dr Te Taku Parai and Kura Moeahu.

The council says the centre has been designed to be inclusive and physically accessible, and will operate as a Tiriti-led facility grounded in mana whenua kawa and tikanga.

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says the centre will support artists at different stages of their careers.

“Toi Aro will be a catalyst for the growth and development of Wellington artists,” Little says.

The name Toi Aro acknowledges Te Aro Pā whenua, its history, pūrākau, surrounding taiao, gardens and cultivations, and hapū Ngāti Haumia and Ngāti Tūpaia.

Toi refers to the arts, skill and excellence. Aro means to face, turn toward, or give attention to.

Holden Hohaia, speaking on behalf of Te Aro Pā whānau, says whānau were included in the planning and cultural integration of the new centre.

“This acknowledgement of whakapapa, history, and whenua is important to us,” Hohaia says.

“We look forward to continuing to support and uplift the artists of Wellington as this new creative space begins its journey.”

The redevelopment follows Wellington City Council’s Aho Tini 2030 Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy Action Plan 2021-2023, which included further development of Toi Pōneke’s role in supporting the arts and creative sector.

The council says it has worked with Wellington’s creative community over the past four years, including Toi Pōneke users, staff, mana whenua, tangata whenua and the wider arts sector.

Bookings for hireable spaces open on June 10. Applications for two arts offices are open now.

More information is available on the Toi Pōneke website. The new Toi Aro website is expected to go live from mid-June with details of events and activities at the Market Lane premises.

The university is New Zealand’s only official nominator for the global environmental prize.

Its nominees are AgriZeroNZ, Critical., KiwiEconet, Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust, Mushroom Material and Sea Cleaners.

Andrew Wilks, Manutaki, director of sustainability at Victoria University of Wellington, said the university was proud to help take New Zealand climate solutions to an international stage.

“There were remarkable applications again this year, but Vic Uni is excited to elevate these six New Zealand solutions to the world stage through The Earthshot Prize because every single one has the power to change the world,” Wilks said.

“They’re affordable, immediately scalable, and could create true global transformation.”

The Wellington connection includes Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust’s Love Rimurimu project, which is working to restore declining kelp forests in Wellington Harbour through science, community action and Indigenous partnership.

The project also supports hands-on education and open-source knowledge sharing, helping communities better understand and care for the harbour environment.

Other nominees include AgriZeroNZ, a public-private partnership that invests in tools to help farmers reduce agricultural emissions while staying profitable and productive.

Critical., a Māori-led clean-tech company, is transforming hard-to-recycle plastic waste into Cleanstone, a circular building material made in Aotearoa from 100 percent reclaimed plastic waste.

The company is also developing compact microfactories to help communities turn local waste into materials, jobs and circular economic opportunities.

KiwiEconet, developed in Southland, is a 100 percent natural and organic jute fibre netting designed to replace plastic wrap used for baling hay and silage.

The netting is biodegradable and edible by livestock.

Mushroom Material has developed mycelium-based pellets as a biodegradable alternative to expanded polystyrene packaging.

The company says the pellets are designed to work with existing moulding equipment, making it easier for the packaging industry to shift to a sustainable option.

Sea Cleaners operates purpose-built vessels that intercept plastic pollution before it disperses beyond recovery.

The group removes millions of litres of waste from waterways each year and is expanding into the Pacific through an island-led clean-up network.

The Sustainable Business Network encouraged applications for nominations from its Next List, which features innovators, entrepreneurs, projects and organisations that were finalists in its Sustainable Business Awards.

Mushroom Material and Critical. were successful nominees from those recommendations.

James Griffin, general manager at Sustainable Business Network, said the nominations showed sustainable innovation was already emerging across Aotearoa.

“What’s exciting about these nominations is that they show world-class sustainable innovation is already emerging in Aotearoa New Zealand, not as distant ideas, but as practical, scalable solutions solving real problems right now,” Griffin said.

“We’re thrilled to see Critical and Mushroom Material nominated for the world’s most prestigious environmental award. Both were selected because they’re on our Next list, which exists to help elevate the innovators building tomorrow’s economy today.”

The Earthshot Prize Trust, led by Prince William, awards £1 million to each of five environmental solutions every year.

The prize recognises work across five goals, known as Earthshots: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean our Air, Revive our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix our Climate.

In 2023, Sea Forest Ltd, one of Victoria University of Wellington’s nominees, was named among the 15 global finalists for the prize.

The 2026 finalists are expected to be announced in September, with winners to be named at the awards ceremony in Mumbai in November.

The Oscar-qualifying festival has announced a national programme featuring 49 feature films, 26 short films and 12 immersive projects, with screenings and events running from June 24 to Aug. 10 across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and the Virtual Cinema.

This year’s programme includes 28 world premieres across film and immersive storytelling, including 14 New Zealand world premieres. The line-up covers stories of whānau, resistance, conflict, environmental collapse, creativity, Indigenous knowledge, survival, music and human connection.

Among the New Zealand world premieres is Ranginui: Call of the Ice, directed by Julia Sartorio. Set in Antarctica during winter, the film follows Māori astronomer Rangi Matamua and language expert Mataia Keepa as science and mātauranga Māori meet in one of the world’s harshest environments.

Another New Zealand world premiere, Feather Strength, directed by Jon Earle, was made over more than a decade. The documentary follows Earle’s family life and the realities of raising a daughter with profound developmental disabilities.

The programme also includes a French focus supported by Institut Français and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, with films including Inside Gaza, Collapse, Cagnat, Drawing or Nothing and If You Don’t Like It, Look Away.

Wellington audiences will be able to attend screenings at The Roxy Cinema in Miramar from July 15 to 26. The wider festival also includes Auckland screenings from June 24 to July 12, Christchurch screenings from July 31 to Aug. 2, and nationwide Virtual Cinema screenings from July 27 to Aug. 10.

The full programme and tickets are available at docedge.nz.

Thai Festival: Sawasdee New Zealand, 70 Years of Friendship will be held at the Michael Fowler Centre from 10am to 4pm on May 16.

The free, all-ages event is being organised by the Royal Thai Embassy alongside Thai communities across Aotearoa.

Festival-goers can expect traditional Thai cultural performances, Khon mask performances, authentic Thai cuisine, fruit and vegetable carving demonstrations, guided meditation sessions and traditional Thai massage experiences.

A Muay Thai workshop is scheduled for 2pm, while exhibitions throughout the day will showcase Thailand’s intangible cultural heritage and royal-endorsed traditional Thai attire.

The official opening ceremony begins at 10.45am.

His Excellency Mongkol Visitstump said the festival marked an important milestone between the two countries.

“This event is a milestone activity marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and New Zealand,” he said.

“We warmly invite you, your family, and your friends to join us in this special celebration and experience the rich traditions and hospitality of Thailand.”

Visitors will also be able to take part in a Thai quiz, giveaways and a lucky draw featuring hotel accommodation packages, Thai food vouchers and massage prizes.

Organisers say the event aims to celebrate the long-standing friendship and cultural connections shared between Thailand and New Zealand.

The Dome Under Film Festival, known as DUFF, will run from May 14 to 16 at Te Ara Whānui ki te Rangi Space Place.

The Wellington screenings mark the festival’s Aotearoa New Zealand debut. Space Place will present “Best of the Fest” sessions featuring eight films from Museums Victoria’s 2026 festival line-up, including award-winning and highly commended entries.

Fulldome films are created specifically for planetarium screens, surrounding viewers with 360-degree visuals and sound.

Organisers say the programme showcases some of the best immersive cinema from across Australasia and beyond.

Tickets are $26 for adults and $18 for children per session. Entry also includes access to Space Place galleries and telescope viewings on clear nights.

Space Place thanked Museums Victoria for helping bring the festival to Wellington.

Pōneke House Party will be held at Wellington’s Opera House on Sunday, May 17, with all profits going to the Wellington Mayoral Flood Relief Fund.

The all-ages event starts at 6pm and combines stand-up comedy, live music and surprise guest appearances as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival and NZ Music Month celebrations.

Comedian and actor Tofiga Fepulea’i and singer-songwriter Tami Neilson will co-headline the show, with comedian James Nokise hosting alongside house band The Funkadelics.

The lineup includes comedians Justine Smith, Michele A’Court, Rhys Mathewson, Wilson Dixon and Karen O’Leary.

Musical performers Samuel Flynn Scott, Luke Buda, LILA JNR and Dropper are also set to appear, with organisers promising more surprise guests on the night.

Organisers said all profits from the event would go directly to people affected by recent flooding across Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

The fundraiser follows severe weather that caused flooding and damage in parts of Wellington, prompting a wider community response to support affected residents and businesses.

Tickets are available through the Comedy Festival website.

LEGO Star Wars: The Exhibition opens at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on 27 June and will run through to 26 October 2026. The showcase is the first and only exhibition of its kind and will premiere in the capital before touring internationally.

Organisers say the exhibition will feature the largest known collection of life-sized LEGO Star Wars models ever created. More than eight million LEGO bricks have been used, with over 25,000 hours spent building the detailed displays.

If stacked, the bricks used in the exhibition would form a tower stretching more than 7.6 kilometres high.

The exhibition is the work of renowned LEGO artist Ryan McNaught, also known as Brickman, and his team. McNaught is the only LEGO Certified Professional in the southern hemisphere and is widely known as a judge on LEGO Masters Australia.

His team has created large-scale LEGO installations for museums, galleries and public spaces around the world, with organisers saying the Wellington exhibition represents one of their most ambitious projects to date.

The exhibition will be held at Tākina on Cable Street, a central city venue that has hosted a growing number of large-scale events since opening.

Tickets are available through Ticketek, with organisers encouraging early bookings due to expected high demand.

The event is expected to attract families, LEGO enthusiasts and Star Wars fans from across the region, adding to Wellington’s winter events calendar and drawing visitors into the city.

The Best Foods Comedy Gala will take place on May 2 at the The Opera House, marking the start of the three-week festival.

The annual event features a fast-paced showcase of performers from across the festival programme, offering audiences a preview of different comedy styles in one night.

Henwood has previously appeared in the gala as a performer but will take on hosting duties for the first time. He joins a list of past hosts including Hayley Sproull, Chris Parker, Melanie Bracewell, Justine Smith and Pax Assadi.

Festival producer Jay Law said the gala played a key role in bringing audiences and performers together.

“It’s a night where everyone can come together, artists, producers, audiences, locals and internationals, and celebrate how important comedy is,” Law said.

The show is recommended for audiences aged 15 and over and is expected to draw a large crowd as one of the festival’s headline events.

The NZ International Comedy Festival runs across multiple venues in Wellington and Auckland, featuring a mix of established names and emerging talent from New Zealand and overseas.

The group will play at the Michael Fowler Centre from May 1 to 3, marking its first live shows since Faiumu’s sudden death. The concerts form part of a 51-date international tour across Australia, Aotearoa, Europe and the United Kingdom.

Lead singer Dallas Tamaira said continuing with the long-planned tour was important for the band.

“It’s important for us to honour the intentions we had with MU and playing this album live is part of that,” Tamaira said.

Originally released independently in 2005, Based On A True Story became Aotearoa’s longest-charting album, spending 111 weeks in the Top 40. It won eight New Zealand Music Awards and received international recognition at the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards.

Saxophonist Scott Towers said the shows would reflect on the band’s beginnings and acknowledge Faiumu’s legacy.

“Based On A True Story was the band’s first full-length studio album, and its success was the springboard for what has been an incredible journey together,” Towers said.

“We want to pay tribute to the music, to MU, and the band he established, and to play to our fans around the world who have supported us through everything.”

More than two decades on, Fat Freddy’s Drop remains a defining force in Aotearoa music, blending funk, roots, jazz and dub, with a strong following in Wellington.

Tickets for the three-night run are on sale now at https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/artist/1055722.

The all-ages gig will be held at The Undercurrent, with doors opening at 5pm and music starting at 5.30pm. Entry is $15, with tickets available online and at the door.

Presented by The Undercurrent, the event offers an intimate setting for audiences to experience Perkins’ Americana-influenced songwriting. Organisers say refreshments, including tea, coffee and snacks, will be available, along with books for purchase.

Perkins has built an international career spanning close to 40 countries and thousands of live performances. His work includes more than 20 commercial releases and songwriting credits such as a number one single for Danish artist Mads Langer.

He has also collaborated with prominent figures in the music industry, including Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman and Stevie Wonder, and has had songs featured in film and television productions such as MTV’s Road Rules and the European series Anna Pihl.

In a recent social media post, Perkins described the Wellington show as his “first and only” in the city, positioning it as a rare opportunity for local audiences.

Reviews have compared his sound to artists including George Harrison, Elvis Costello and Neil Finn, highlighting a blend of troubadour-style storytelling and Americana roots.

The Undercurrent, located on Tory Street in Te Aro, regularly hosts live music and community-focused events, with Friday’s performance expected to draw a mix of local music fans and visitors.

Event: Brett Perkins live in Wellington
Venue: The Undercurrent
Date: May 1
Time: 5pm