As we find ourselves beginning to crave warmer and lighter days, a calendar packed with cultural events is keeping us excited for the second month of winter. From exceptional exhibitions and captivating performances to live music and more, here we present our July Culture Guide, sure to satiate your creative cravings.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet
When & Where: Tuesday 15th July — Saturday 9th August, ASB Waterfront Theatre
Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet gets a thrilling 1960s Italian makeover in Auckland Theatre Company’s bold new production. With Theo Dāvid and Phoebe McKellar as the star-crossed lovers, this fast-paced, fashion-forward take blends cinematic score, fierce passion, and fatal rivalries in unforgettable style.
Freeman White — Rising Tides
When & Where: Wednesday 25th June – Sunday 20th July, Sanderson Contemporary
In Rising Tides, Freeman White explores the fleeting beauty and restless energy of Aotearoa’s oceans through evocative paintings born from en plein air studies. Inspired by his home on Napier’s Bluff Hill, this new body of work captures the unique, ever-changing moments of waves as they rise, crest, and break — a meditation on nature’s transience, paired with poetry reflecting the ocean’s deep cultural and ecological significance.
Maruata Rikoriko
When & Where: Now until Sunday 13th July, Market Square, Viaduct Harbour
Marking Matariki with reverence and warmth, Maruata Rikoriko is a new community installation at Viaduct Harbour that honours connection, kai, and culture. Created in collaboration with artists Graham Tipene and Amy Hawke (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei), the space invites reflection and togetherness, anchored by a carved tēpu, twin pou, and recycled Cleanstone panels — a shimmering, connective space for shared experience on the Waitematā.
The Art of Banksy
When & Where: Monday 7th July – Saturday 3rd August, Hunua Rooms, Aotea Centre
With over 150 works on display, The Art of Banksy lands in Tāmaki Makaurau this winter, offering a rare glimpse into the elusive artist’s world. From iconic prints to intimate sketches, this globally acclaimed exhibition reveals both the sharp wit and quiet subversion behind Banksy’s rise — a bold, immersive addition to the city’s winter culture calendar.
Synthony Origins
When & Where: Saturday 26th July, Spark Arena, Auckland
Synthony Origins returns with a late-night homage to the anthems that built club culture — with Sneaky Sound System, Bevan Keys and Dick Johnson leading the charge. From underground house to euphoric big-room bangers, expect a night of high-energy nostalgia, live orchestration and legendary tracks reimagined. One night only. One massive dancefloor.
World Press Photo Exhibition
When & Where: Saturday 26th July – Sunday 24th August, 131 Queen Street, Auckland
Powerful, poignant, and unflinchingly real — the World Press Photo Exhibition returns to Auckland, spotlighting the year’s most compelling photojournalism from across the globe. From conflict zones to climate protests, the images on display offer a striking lens on the world we live in, asking viewers to pause, reflect, and look closer.
Home, Land and Sea
When & Where: Thursday 24th July — Saturday 9th August, various locations country-wide
Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Home, Land and Sea unites three evocative ballets exploring connection and identity. Featuring works by Moss Te Ururangi Patterson, Shaun James Kelly, and Stephen Baynes, the programme reflects on heritage, transformation, and what it
means to find home through movement and storytelling.
Winter Wonderland at Ayrburn
When & Where: Now until Sunday 27th July, Ayrburn, Arrowtown
Snow-dusted magic lands at Ayrburn as the precinct transforms into a glowing alpine escape. With mulled wine by the fire, a dazzling Christmas light display, daily ice skating, and Après Ski Happy Hour in the Manure Room, Winter Wonderland offers festive fun for all ages — whether you’re fresh from the slopes or simply chasing that mid-winter glow.
Prima Facie & The Golden Ass
When & Where: Now until Sunday 27th July, various locations country-wide
The award-winning Prima Facie is set to tour the North Island this winter, starring Cassandra Woodhouse in a powerful one-woman performance. In Auckland and New Plymouth, select shows feature a double-header with Michael Hurst’s acclaimed The Golden Ass — presenting two masterful works in one unforgettable experience.
Echo Bravo — Föenander Galleries
When & Where: Saturday 28th June — Tuesday 8th July, Föenander Galleries, Parnell
A meeting of four distinct voices, Echo Bravo brings together Michael Dell, Lottie Consalvo, Gavin Chai and Nick Herd in a thoughtful exploration of mark-making, memory and material. From Dell’s quietly precise landscapes to Consalvo’s emotionally charged abstractions, this group show offers a compelling cross-section of contemporary practice — where gesture, surface and stillness collide.
A Century of Modern Art
When & Where: Now until Sunday 28th September, Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tāmaki
A landmark exhibition of visionary painting, A Century of Modern Art arrives exclusively in Auckland this June. On loan from the internationally-renowned Toledo Museum of Art, the exhibition features 57 masterworks by 53 groundbreaking artists — including Monet, van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso, and Frankenthaler — charting the evolution of modern art from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism.
Billy Strings
When & Where: Tuesday 22nd July, Spark Arena
Bluegrass phenomenon and Grammy winner Billy Strings makes his Aotearoa debut this July. Known for his lightning-fast picking and genre-defying sound, Strings brings his chart-topping album Highway Prayers to life with a night of unforgettable, high-octane roots music and masterful musicianship.
Taniwha
When & Where: Now until Sunday 13th July, Silo Theatre
A giant blue mushroom, a shaken taniwha, and a bold mission to protect the whenua — Taniwha is a vibrant, whānau-friendly theatrical adventure packed with live music, puppetry, and heart. Presented by Silo Theatre and Auckland Live, this bold new production blends environmental storytelling with 80s nostalgia and technicolour magic. Suitable for ages 5+, expect a wild ride of courage, community, and kaitiakitanga.
Sci-Fi Screenings at Stardome
When & Where: Friday 28th June – Saturday 13th July, Stardome Observatory & Planetarium
This winter, escape to the stars with Stardome’s family-friendly film series. From cult classics like E.T. and The Iron Giant to animated space adventures and planetarium favourites, the dome becomes a cinematic launchpad for kids and nostalgic grown-ups alike. With daily screenings and plenty of intergalactic charm, it’s the ultimate way to enjoy the holidays — without braving the elements.
The Gruffalo
When & Where: Wednesday 9th — Sunday 13th July, Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland
A beloved tale gets the big stage treatment as The Gruffalo returns to Auckland these school holidays. With catchy songs, cheeky humour and enchanting puppetry, this magical adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s picture book brings Mouse’s woodland adventure to life. Perfect for kids aged 3+ (and nostalgic grown-ups), it’s a wild romp through the deep, dark wood — and a monster hit in the making.
Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra
When & Where: Saturday 26th July, Spark Arena
Prepare for a sonic onslaught with Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra — where heavy metal blends with symphonic sound. Metallica meets Mozart in this genre-bending spectacle, where rock anthems collide with a 29-piece orchestra, powerhouse vocals, and electrifying visuals.
