Archived Events

Queenstown Arts Society warmly invites our community to experience Above, Below, Beyond — a vibrant showcase of original works by talented local artists and makers. Opening is 5-7pm, Thursday 5 March 2026.

Join Queenstown Arts Society for guided life portrait sessions with a live model. Build confidence, master proportions, capture true likeness, and develop your own expressive portrait style in a supportive environment. Wednesdays 4 March - 1 April, 6pm - 7:30pm.

Wriggle and Rhyme is a free weekly music and movement programme for ages 0 – 2, facilitated by Sunny Sky from EpicKids. Taking place on Mondays, there are two sessions available: 10am – 10:45am for Toddlers / Under-2s, and 11:00am – 11:45am for Babies.

How to Make a One-Piece Mould + Slip Casting Pottery Workshop with Susannah Bridges & Wakatipu Potters. Sunday 22 + 29 March. 10am - 3pm

Laughter, tears and thrilling adventure are promised when an epic adventure unites with the miracle of Kuaka/Godwit migration. Puppetry, Storytelling, and Music for ages 5 to 95!

An intimate, cinematic theatre retelling of the moon goddess Selene, exploring growing up, bodies, light and dark through myth, memory and wild inner worlds, from internationally acclaimed theatre producers Wright&Grainger.

How to Make a One-Piece Mould + Slip Casting Pottery Workshop with Susannah Bridges & Wakatipu Potters. Saturday 21 + 28 March. 10am - 3pm

Laughter, tears and thrilling adventure are promised when an epic adventure unites with the miracle of Kuaka/Godwit migration. Puppetry, Storytelling, and Music for ages 5 to 95!

Join us for a special screening of Five Films for Freedom, the world’s widest reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration. This screening is Tuesday 24 March, 6:30pm-8pm, but we have another on Sunday 22 March, 12pm - 1:30pm. See link at bottom of this page.

Join us for a special screening of Five Films for Freedom, the world’s widest reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration. This screening is Sunday 22 March, 12pm - 1:30pm, but we have another on Tuesday 24 March, 6:30pm-8pm. See link at bottom of this page.

Presented by KEG Touring: Come watch this show where scientist turned stand-up comedian Ben Miller explores volcanology, entomology, Hawaiian history, space volcanoes, cats, cookies, and more.

A beginner-friendly meditation workshop focused on calm, awareness, and presence. Suitable for anyone curious about meditation, with no prior experience required. Workshop runs 4:15-6pm.

Julia Holden presents a performance painting exhibition that brings visibility to artistic labour. Collaborating with cross-sector artists from the Queenstown Lakes District who will act as ‘living canvases’, Holden creates portraits fusing sculpture, performance and painting. Exhibition Opening: Friday 5 December, 5:30pm | Artist Talk: Saturday 6 December, 10:30am

To celebrate the opening of our new exhibition Let the Honey Soak Through, come and hear spoken word performances from five poets on the exhibition’s themes of climate, environment, patterns, and bees. Free entry, all welcome.

Reusing and reconstituting broken ceramics into raw clay and/or plaster, this wānaka will involve smashing, and sticking together crockery to create small tiles. This workshop runs from 10am-1pm.

Explore the intersection of herbal tradition and cocktail culture in this engaging and flavourful workshop. You’ll learn how bitter herbs support digestion and liver health, then craft your own herbal bitters with a modern twist. This workshop runs from 1pm-4pm.

Looking for an exciting school holiday programme in Queenstown? Join our January arts holiday programme this summer, led by Te Atamira’s Arts Programme education team. Designed for kids aged 5-7 and 8-13, this creative, multidisciplinary programme inspires creativity through fun, hands-on workshops. Tuesday 6 January – Friday 30 January, from 9:30am. Extended hours available.

Alys Longley, Máximo Corvalán-Pincheira, Francisco González Castro and Macarena Campbell-Parra present works developed between Aotearoa and Chile, exploring “ripple” as a metaphor for bodies, ecologies, and movements through collaborative works in drawing, installation, video, text, and interactive digital media. Launch Event: Friday 3 October, 5:30pm, Frankton Beach BBQ Area

Join Wellington-based artist Hana Dean for a portrait painting workshop exploring composition, colour, and technique. This workshop will run from 9:30am - 4pm in two 3-hour sessions, with 30 minutes break for lunch.

Do you have an emergency plan in your household? If a disaster occurred tomorrow, would you have the resources to cope? Get Good & Ready with this free workshop! Runs for an hour from 6:30pm.

Explore 'Vessels,' an exhibition by the Wakatipu Potters Group celebrating the art of functional and decorative ceramics. Discover unique, handcrafted pottery that blends creativity, tradition, and contemporary design. Open daily until 17 January.

In this workshop led by Ruby Wilkinson, experiment with gestural drawing, fabric dyeing, and colouring techniques before cutting and reassembling fabrics into quilt-like panels. This workshop runs from 10am-1pm.

In this workshop, artist Kari Morseth will guide participants to explore resourceful and mindful making through weaving and journalling. Using simple techniques and accessible materials, participants will learn twining and two-string weaving methods to bind, connect, and create - forming both a small eco-artwork and a hand-made journal. Workshop runs from 10am-1pm.

This interactive project invites you to write a message of love and send it to the world, in a specially made interactive artwork.

Join us for some fun-filled, Christmas themed arts and craft holiday programme days this December! Led by our wonderful Arts Programme Educator and team, these hands on art activities will embrace festive excitement in the lead up to Christmas. Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December 9:30am - 3pm | Age groups 5-7 and 8-12

Unleash your power, passion, and confidence through every beat. Feel sexy, strong, and free- dance your way into unstoppable energy!

Come along to our Afterschool Programme lead by our new Education team, where we form a fun environment for creative learning for tamariki. Mondays - Thursdays | From 3:30pm | Ages 5 – 14

Wriggle and Rhyme is a free weekly music and movement programme for ages 0 – 2, facilitated by Sunny Sky from EpicKids. Mondays, with two sessions available: 10am – 10:45am for Toddlers / Under-2s, and 11:00am – 11:45am for Babies.

Following a sold-out season at the Auckland International Film Festival, TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty comes to Wānaka.

'GRACE A Prayer for Peace' brings together filmmaker Dame Gaylene Preston and artist Dame Robin White (Ngāti Awa) in an extraordinary collaboration. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the Director and Artist.

Following a sold-out season at the Auckland International Film Festival, TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty comes to Tāhuna Queenstown.

Join us at Te Atamira for an inspiring kōrero exploring the importance of collaboration in the arts with four iconic New Zealand artists and storytellers

Dance QT presents its End-of-Year Christmas Show. Saturday 6 December at the Queenstown Memorial Centre, from 10:30am.

Come find some 'new to you' clothes. This Christmas party is dress up - optional but highly appreciated!

Have fun sketching a series of animals and mythical creatures then turn them into creative self portraits! What creature would you be?

Who can resist the spirit of Christmas surrounded by candlelight and the warm, acoustic feeling of a cathedral?

Spring Sessions are a series of original music evenings showcasing our local Tāhuna artists. It's time to put a spotlight on the compositions created from around our lakes and mountains we call home. ‍

Queenstown Arts Society invites you to explore the worlds of imagination, ambition, and reality in our upcoming Members Exhibition, Dreams & Schemes.

Declutter Your Digital Life: Tech Strategies for Creatives with Mike Reading, Using Technology Better.

Join Southern REAP for a hands-on 6-week journey into the beautiful world of raranga harakeke – the traditional Māori art of flax weaving. Mondays, 13, 20 October, 3, 10, 17, 24 November, 6pm - 8pm

Unleash your power, passion, and confidence through every beat. Feel sexy, strong, and free- dance your way into unstoppable energy! Classes start at 7pm.

The Cardboard Project: Composing Creative Movement – A workshop for artists of all kinds

Roll up, roll up, Te Atamira’s Community Carnival is back and brighter than ever! Join us for a vibrant day of celebration and community as we raise funds in support of Te Atamira - bringing creativity to our community every day. Sunday 9 November, 10:30am - 3:30pm

Discover the stunning artworks that celebrate raranga, traditional Māori weaving techniques.

An evening of live electronica from multi-instrumentalist Henry Boyle as Trekkers Hotel. Merging rhythmic foundations of classic breaks with spacious, bass-heavy atmospherics of dub.

A celebration of local grassroots filmmakers showcasing recent short films, documentaries and music videos created by Otago and Southland creatives, presented by the Southern Filmmakers Collective.

The Queenstown Writers Festival is an unmissable event each November for anyone who loves books, words and insightful conversation.

Money Matters for Creatives: An Overview and Practical Guide to Financial Literacy with facilitator Mylrea Bell

Mīharo is proud to present an exhibition that celebrates the work of early childhood tamariki through to high school rangatahi based on the theme ‘Legends of our Lands - Our People, Our Places, Our Stories.’ Awards Night: Wednesday 17 September, 5.30pm

Spring Sessions are a series of original music evenings showcasing our local Tāhuna artists. Join us on our first evening for jazz compositions from Queenstown Funk Orchestra and Louis Koopman.

Led by Resident Artist Amalia Remus, learn the foundations of truthful, naturalistic acting for camera in a unique class building connection, confidence, and community. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 17 July - 18 September, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

For this AWE+ Free Event we are thrilled to welcome legendary local skier Jossi Wells for a conversation around how his movement on snow becomes a physical expression of his connection to nature. Sunday 12 October, 4:15pm

Our final programme, Horizon, explores the human need to explore, to bridge divides, and to aspire for more. Sunday 12 October, 2pm and 5:30pm

An AWE+ Free Talk with architect Fred van Brandenburg, who will be sharing with us about his architecture and its powerful relationship with nature. Friday 10 October, 6pm

Our Young Musicians Session is an interactive opportunity for local young musicians to meet, hear, and play alongside Festival Artists, truly experiencing the fullness of AWE. Friday 10 October, 2:30pm - 4:45pm

An AWE+ Free Performance showcasing our 2025 Emerging Artists performing a powerful selection of music from around the world, including the premiere of a new work by 2025 AWE Emerging Composer Lauren Doherty. Friday 10 October, 5pm

Reverie explores diverse forms, natural and musical, and the fluid space between form and freedom. Friday 10 October, 7:30pm

Join us at our open rehearsals, and experience the sights and sounds of our Festival Artists deep within their performance preparation. Observers are encouraged to move freely between the selections of rehearsals at Te Atamira. Friday 3 October, 10am - 6:30pm

This AWE+ Free Presentation features Festival Artist Erin Helyard introducing his harpsichord. Monday 6 October, 6:30pm

Claviers is a special Queenstown festival programme exploring the evolution of the harpsichord and piano, continuing the Baroque composers' exploration of nature-inspired aesthetics. Monday 6 October, 7:30pm

Learn about the process of creating cyanotypes in this hands-on workshop which reflects the use of the cyanotype in the exhibition Notes in the Border, Notes at the River, Notes from the Ocean. We will look at making cyanotypes based on text (from handwriting) and objects. Saturday 4 October, 10:30am - 12pm

Join us on the shores of Lake Whakatipu for the launch of Isla, a floating performance by Chilean artist Máximo Corvalán-Pincheira.

Join us at our open rehearsals, and experience the sights and sounds of our Festival Artists deep within their performance preparation. Observers are encouraged to move freely between the selections of rehearsals at Te Atamira. Friday 3 October, 10am - 4:30pm

Looking for an exciting school holiday programme in Queenstown? Join our September arts holiday programme, led by experienced art educators. Designed for tamariki aged 5-7 and 8-12, this creative, multidisciplinary programme inspires creativity through fun, hands-on workshops. Registration now open.

Join Southern REAP for a hands-on 6-week journey into the beautiful world of raranga harakeke – the traditional Māori art of flax weaving. Wednesdays, 27 August, 3, 10, 17, 24 September, 1 October, 6pm - 8pm

A rare opportunity to collaborate with one of Aotearoa’s most distinctive artists. Owning a “living portrait” goes beyond acquiring art, it is an investment in cultural legacy, personal storytelling, and the creative life of Queenstown.

Vanessa Edwards returns to Tāhuna Queenstown, supported by members of the Toi Whakaata - Māori Print Collective, Alexis Neal, Jasmine Horton and Tessa Russell, to honour her mother and explore the role of pattern within visual culture. Exhibition open until 22 September. Artist Talk - Sunday 31 August, 11am.

Write, plan, shoot, act in and edit your own short film or series! Ages 13-18. Sunday 27 July - Sunday 21 September, 4pm - 6pm.

Come along to our Afterschool Programme where we form a fun environment for creative learning for tamariki. Mondays - Thursdays | From 3:30pm | Ages 5 – 14

Wriggle and Rhyme is a free weekly music and movement programme for ages 0 – 2, facilitated by Sunny Sky from EpicKids. Mondays, with two sessions available: 10am – 10:45am for Toddlers / Under-2s, and 11:00am – 11:45am for Babies.

Does your teen have bright ideas or just needs something a bit different to bring out their best? Join local entrepreneur Mason Kingdom every Sunday afternoon to learn tips and tricks to start, grow, or just dream about their own hustle. Sundays, 27 July - 14 September, 4pm - 6pm

Inspired by the Lost City of Atlantis, join practising artist and qualified teacher Lisa Duncan as students sketch & design unique sea creatures, treasure maps and ancient ruins from the Lost City. Students will then create a final painting adding mixed media treasure maps, enchanted plants, sunken treasure and their own creations to finish a final work. Fridays, 3:30 - 5:00pm. Starting from July 25th

Elemental speaks to the raw, foundational forces - earth, water, fire, and air - that shape both the natural world and the creative process. Exhibition open until 10 September.

Create your own bespoke slow-stitched bear in this creative and calming workshop led by esteemed embroiderer Dianne Van Brandenburg. Tuesdays, 12 August, 19 August, 26 August, 2 September and 9 September, 10am - 12:30pm

Come along for a relaxed and fun evening with Remarkable Theatre! A casual get-together with some light-hearted theatre games - no pressure, just a great chance to connect, have a few laughs, and enjoy some playful creativity. Next event: Wednesday 3 September, 7pm

Travel through a world of emotion and elegance in this intimate concert featuring exquisite string trios from Vienna, Paris, and beyond. Performed by a trio of award-winning musicians, this programme brings together some of the most beautiful and heartfelt chamber music ever written. Sunday 31 August, 11am - 12pm

Karanga atu, Karanga mai - calling outward, calling inward artists Vanessa Edwards and Jasmine Horton will share insights into their creative processes, the kaupapa underpinning their work, and the personal and collective narratives that inform their practices. Sunday 31 August, 11am

Grounded by the constellation Puanga, Karanga atu, Karanga mai artist Vanessa Edwards leads this workshop weaving whetū (stars) from hand-printed materials. Learn simple binding techniques to create meaningful taonga – a necklace or brooch. Saturday 30 August, 2pm - 5pm

Create your own wearable taonga using the cyanotype process while exploring whakapapa and whakawhanaungatanga in this hands-on workshop with Karanga atu, Karanga mai artist and jewellery maker Jasmine Horton. Saturday 30 August, 10am - 1pm

Acting for camera classes for our next generation of local stars! Saturday, 9 and 23 August, 2pm - 4pm

'Love and Information' is a fast-paced, funny, and thought-provoking production that explores how we connect in a world full of noise. Saturday 23 August, 7pm

Join Poet Laureate Chris Tse for a Poetry Masterclass. In this session, Chris will lead participants in reading and discussing several poems to explore a range of voices from contemporary New Zealand poetry. Saturday 9 August, 10am – 12pm

Let's move forward by learning to let go. Learn to loosen body stiffness by science supported methods, in a playful and safe manner. Move the way we were designed to, let's move like mammals. From Saturday 28 June, 10am - 11am

Pōneke trio vegetable.machine.animal tours their new album GUEST, blending electronic sound, analogue percussion and drumming skills of Kieran Monaghan, and biosignals of non-human band members including plants, fungi, and lichen. Wednesday 6 August, 7pm

Te Atamira and Emergence Magazine present Shifting Landscapes- a documentary series directed by Emmy- and Peabody-nominated filmmakers Adam Loften and Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, exploring the power of art and story to orient us amid the complexity of our time. Two of the four films, 'Aloha ‘Āina' (47 mins) and 'Taste of the Land' (1 hr 10 mins), will screen on Tuesday 22 July at 6pm.

Sharpen your short story skills in this focused workshop with Caroline Barron. Gain practical tools to craft compelling fiction that stands out, deepen your understanding of the form, and inspire new work. Sunday 13 July, 9am - 1pm

Looking for an exciting school holiday programme in Queenstown? Join our July arts holiday programme, led by experienced art educators. Designed for tamariki aged 5-7 and 8-12, this creative, multidisciplinary programme inspires creativity through fun, hands-on workshops. Monday 30 June - Friday 11 July from 9am. Extended hours available.

Led by Resident Artist Amalia Remus, the Queenstown screen actors' practice ground offers scene work, industry insights, and training in genres, accents, improv, and auditioning to sharpen your screen skills.

The Feldenkrais Method guides students of all ages and ability to move with less effort and better function through its classes of gentle movement sequences. Improves posture, flexibility and co-ordination. Thursday's 29 May - 26 June 10:30am - 11:30am.

Turn Up the Music Charitable Trust introduces Magical Music with Erica for young children aged 2 to 5. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10am

A woman walks between the worlds of the living and the dead in search of her lost children. Join us for a special screening and director talk with acclaimed filmmaker Vincent Ward. Tuesday 24 June, 6:30pm

Wriggle and Rhyme is a free weekly music and movement programme for pēpē and tamariki aged 0-2. Join our facilitator Sunny Sky of EpicKids for this 45-minute class. Two sessions are available each Monday: 10:00am – 10:45am: Toddlers / Under-2s. 11:00am – 11:45am: Babies

This 5-week beginner-to-intermediate course introduces you to Procreate, a digital art app for iPad. Explore techniques, develop confidence, and bring your ideas to life with guidance from artists Christopher Barnhart and John Lihou. Mondays, 19 May, 26 May, 9 June, 16 June, and 23 June, 10am - 11:30am

Dance QT presents its Mid-Year Winter Showcase. Sunday 22 June at the Queenstown Memorial Centre, from 11am

The foundations of starting out as a screen actor, from industry insights, acting techniques, to practical audition practice and monologues or scenes for camera. Ages 13-18. Sunday 11 May - Sunday 22 June, 5pm - 7pm.

Join Resident Artist Amalia Remus as she introduces kids aged 8 - 12 to acting for camera! Saturdays, 10 May, 24 May, 7 June and 21 June, 2pm - 4pm

Join us at Creative Sparks for an afternoon of creative learning. Led by accredited art teacher, Michelle, this termly programme aims to foster curiosity and a love of learning in the visual arts. Fridays, Term 2 | 11am - 12:30pm | Ages 5-12

While the teachers are away, let the creativity play! Join us at Te Atamira for a special one-day holiday programme. Led by our experienced art educators, this programme offers a day filled with imaginative exploration and artistic fun. Thursday 19 June, From 9:00am

Explore Te Atamira during Open Studios Day. Drop in to visit artists’ studios, enjoy creative workshops, and experience local music and community activities for all ages. Sunday 15 June, from 10am

Type Here is Aotearoa’s newest typography poster competition, celebrating expressive and contemporary design. Themed 'Aotearoa now', this exhibition features winning entries covering a broad range of typographic work. Open daily until 21 June