Do you love live music? Did you always want to see a Vietnamese water puppet show? Are you a fan of the visual arts? At this year’s Auckland Arts Festival you can have it all.
The 2011 Auckland Arts Festival, which kicks off today and will go on till 20 March, boasts an impressive line-up of (inter)national art events, many of which are free to join! Theatre, dance, music, visual arts, family events – you name it, they have it. The free daily activities will take place at Aotea Square with its glamorous Spiegeltent, the TV3 Garden Stage, Stoneleigh Bar and the Garden Theatre.
Brand-new to this year’s Auckland Arts Festival is the TV3 Garden Stage hosting a free daily musical programme featuring international acts alongside top Kiwi artists who will bring anything from classical to contemporary and world music to the crowds. The programme will start at 5pm on weekdays and 2pm on weekends. Look out for Sean Donnelly, Flip Grater, Barons of Tang, Arte Kanela and the NZTrio.
Movies in Parks shows short films by Kiwi filmmakers, while the Spiegeltent hosts an exciting In Conversation series featuring the festival’s top artists who share their inspirations and ideas. Part of the Auckland Arts Festival 2011, the White Night Festival has museums and galleries across Auckland open their doors right until midnight.
For a hands-on approach you can join free and low-cost workshops with artists such as Jack DeJohnette, Gregory Maqoma and Massive Company. Whether you want to experience the Auckland Arts Festival on a budget or get tickets for the wide range of additional events, you’ll find all the info you need on www.aucklandfestival.co.nz.
Auckland Arts Festival 2011: 2 – 20 March 2011
