Tomorrow's Histories: photographs by Neil Penman marks significant moments in Porirua's history and honours the legacy of local photographer Neil Penman, who dedicated himself to documenting moments of urban transformation.

Working in black and white documentary style, Penman saw photography as a form of social history, preserving the stories of people and places for posterity. Among his photographs are the people who were there throughout it all, including portraits of Ngāti Toa kaumatua.

Tomorrow's Histories will be on display from the 8th of August until the 8th of November at Pātaka Gallery.

...

Meet our costume artisans! At these exclusive events, step into our cinema in the heart of Wētā Workshop, as two of our costume technicians reveal how a hobby grew into a career and how the skills behind blockbuster films can begin at your own kitchen table.

10AM, Thursday 17, Saturday 19, Sunday 20, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September @ Wētā Workshop Experiences in Miramar.

A treat for World of Wearable Art fans and makers alike. Sessions available across WOW festival. Secure your booking from wetaworkshop.com

...

The Aotearoa Festival of Architecture is running from the 21st of September until Sunday the 4th of October right here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington!

We are celebrating the joyful, energetic spirit of the city, with a nod to our famously windy climate. Uplift is about bringing people together, embracing Wellington’s creative energy, and contributing positively to the life of the city through architecture, design and community.

Everyone is welcome to attend the events for Aotearoa Festival of Architecture, as we are hosting a bunch of different events happening across the festival including:
Exhibitions
Industry Talks / Panel discussions
Building + Walking Tours – LGBTQ+ topics
Early morning yoga or sketching workshops
Movie screenings + Kōrero
Architecture firm open studios
Mixer, networking events
Music Gig
Quiz Nights


For more information head to www.nzia.co.nz ...

Wellington's monthly residency of exploratory music is back at Cuba St Tavern's garden courtyard, with four musicians coming together to build something new in real time.

abey sparks (drums), Chris Beernink (bass), Dave Wilson (alto saxophone & bass clarinet) and Aslan (guitar) will spend the night uncovering grooves as they go - no setlist, just musicians listening and responding to each other live. Expect the unexpected: a set that shifts and shapes itself as it unfolds.

Grab a drink, settle into the courtyard, and let the night take you wherever it goes.

Thursday 24th September, 8pm - 10pm

$10 waged / $5 students / unwaged

Tickets available from humanitix.com

...

German house maestro Gorge visits for a world class evening at Meow 25 Sept. Co-founder of 8Bit Records, one of underground house's most respected labels, Gorge has spent two decades at the forefront of the scene.

His sets and productions embody 8Bit's signature sound: sophisticated, stripped-back, timeless house with killer groove and a deep connection to the dance floor.

This is a rare Wellington appearance from one of the world-wide leaders of the underground house sound. On support duties are Vernon & Bastian.

Friday 25th Sept at Meow. $25 + booking fee at meow.nz

...

Warning: contains monsters (and the young makers who create them).

Fangs. Claws. Scales, and a few too many eyes. These school holidays, kids can sculpt them all from a single lump of clay.

In this new workshop, they'll become a monster maker for an hour. Working with the same modelling clay used by our Wētā Workshop crew, they'll shape and sculpt their very own creature, then take it home... if they dare.

Book on the Wētā website!

Price: $29, parents and caregivers go free.

Want to make a day of it? Add a tour with our Junior Combo for $49 per person: Monster Makers & Tour Combo | Wētā Workshop Experiences

...

Hailing from the Wetlands of Otautahi Christchurch, Single Malt are bringing their unique groove and undeniable swag to Pōneke, marking their first North Island show yet!

“Wetlands” is a gig where all can come and boogie, sing, connect, and get a taste of the unique vibe born from the East of Christchurch.

Single Malt have teamed up with incredible local talent:
Nameless and Brainless - a 5 piece soul/hiphop band bringing high-energy Kiwi raps and an insane rhythm section.
Z.F.C and HAZ - Welly local DJs bringing a mix of soulful house and groovy dance music guaranteed to make ya move.

Hosted at the iconic Moon Bar in Newtown, “Wetlands” will embody the good vibes of Spring, goodbyes of Winter, and the great nights of memories.

Tickets from undertheradar.co.nz ...

After two decades Wellington has finally gifted us an appropriate venue from which Music Without Subtitles can host its first ever live-to-air radio show, It's all going down at Octo & Herbs this Saturday the 26th of September from 9-11pm!

Marking TV DiSKO's twenty-year stint with RadioActive.FM, the city's best little community radio station, Octo and Herb’s as the show’s sponsor have graciously allowed us to mark this auspicious anniversary with a live broadcast from their bar.

Join us in person and come on down to Octo & Herbs for this free event, and if you can't make it down you can tune in to 88.6FM to hear it all unfold over the airwaves! 

Octo & Herbs
26th September
Music Without Subtitles live
9-11pm
Free Entry ...

Vogelmorn Upstairs is calling out for songwriters, singers, and musicians of all genres to showcase their craft at our Upstairs Open Mic Night.

Welcome to the perfect environment for new and seasoned songwriters alike who want to test new material for an audience, practice the intricacies of a song, or simply have some fun on stage. All ages, voices, styles, and levels of experience are welcome.

Sign up between 5:30 and 6:30 with music kicking off at 6:30pm. Come early for a home-style meal from VBC Eats.

See you at the Upstairs Open Mic Night!

...

Music & The City at Cuba Street Tavern in collaboration with RadioActive.FM

Hosted by NZIA, NZILA, and SEGD, Music & the City is an event series designed to dive into a hot topic with city shaping voices.

The next iteration: Music & the City will explore the spaces where music happens—town halls, old churches, basements, parks, beaches, street corners, recording studios, record stores, radio stations—and asks how people make those spaces special, what architects, landscape architects, and experiential designers can add for the future of music and the city.

We’ll be marking the final weekend of Aotearoa Festival of Architecture 2026 at Cuba Street Tavern, with a live broadcast of the Late Late Breakfast show, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A about how we best design spaces for music in our city, and kick-ons with RadioActive DJs to see you deep into the night. 

Cuba Street Tavern Saturday 3rd October

1pm-1am Free Entry ...

From 14-18 October, the Wellington Jazz Festival returns to the capital for its 30th anniversary year, with an electrifying programme of international artists making their Aotearoa debuts, acclaimed New Zealand musicians, new works, and unforgettable live performances.

Across five days, more than 100 performances will fill Te Whanganui-a-Tara with music. From intimate late-night club sessions to major theatre shows, audiences can experience jazz, soul, funk, brass, blues and bold contemporary sounds across venues, streets, and unexpected spaces throughout the city.

Find more info and specific events via jazzfestival.nz

...

40+ DJs - 3 Stages - 1 Fundraiser

RAVE  2 THE GRAVE an all-night celebration on Halloween, Saturday the 31st of October. With three unique dance spaces across different levels of The Grand, ravers can choose their vibe, from the more chill selections to heavy bass & high-energy tracks.

There will be more than 40 DJs behind the decks from all your favourite shows.

RadioActive.FM is a charitable organisation and we must continually raise funds to keep our doors open and our creative voices alive, ensuring that audiences can continue to enjoy bold, independent local broadcasting.

8PM-3AM

 This event is R18  

Tickets from www.radioactive.fm/ravetothegrave ...