The Festival of Design Aotearoa programme continues to take shape, and some events are already attracting plenty of attention.
From live performance and Toi Māori to public art, architecture, lighting and creative learning, here are some of the events festival-goers are exploring right now.
Take a look, find your favourites and join us this October.
Anthonie Tonnon: Cinematographer
Taite Music Prize-winning songwriter Anthonie Tonnon presents his immersive new live show, Cinematographer. Premiering this October, Cinematographer will close the Festival of Design Aotearoa programme in Whanganui.
• 23 October
• 8:00 pm
• Royal Whanganui Opera House
• Cost: $35+BF
Tiri: Te Araroa Woman Far Walking
Woven into a deeply emotional tapestry celebrating wāhine Māori and the emergent rangatahi who will take Aotearoa forward, this astonishing production is a national treasure that will continue to resonate across time and place.
• 16 October
• 7:30 pm
• Royal Whanganui Opera House
• Cost: From $70-80+BF
He Puna Tohunga — The Well of Master Creatives: Exhibition
This exhibition brings together an extraordinary assembly of Tohunga and master practitioners whose works embody whakapapa, deep cultural knowledge, innovation, and enduring artistry. This landmark showcase celebrates creatives whose mastery flows from ancestral foundations and contemporary excellence.
• 16-25 October
• 10:00am-4:00pm
• Whanganui War Memorial Centre, 2 Watt Street, Whanganui
• Cost: FREE, KOHA greatly appreciated
Preparing for a Better Future: Learning by Design LEGO Talk
Dr Bo Stjerne Thomsen (Denmark) explores how people learn through designing, testing, sharing, and improving ideas. With examples from LEGO partners, schools and communities globally, it shows discovery, reflection and innovation.
• 18 October
• 11:00am-1:00pm
• Whanganui War Memorial Centre, 2 Watt Street, Whanganui
• Cost: $30+BF
Beca Lighting Studio: Designing the Night Guided Tour Whanganui
Experience Whanganui with fresh eyes and a new awareness of the night. Slow down, look closely, and notice how light and darkness shape mood, movement, and perception. Along the guided walking tour, uncover the thinking behind what is lit, how it is lit, and what is deliberately left in shadow.
• 23 October
• 8:00pm-9:00pm
• Whanganui War Memorial Centre, 2 Watt Street, Whanganui
• Cost: KOHA
Design in Public: Walking or Wheels Guided Tours
Explore the considerations and conundrums behind the public murals and designing these artworks for everyone. These two sessions will showcase local creative history through artworks by emerging, local and nationally significant artists in the town centre. One sessions is on foot and the other on wheels.
• 23 and 25 October
• Check for times
• Whanganui War Memorial Centre, 2 Watt Street, Whanganui
• Cost: KOHA
HERE presents: OPEN HOME WHANGANUI & PALMERSTON NORTH
This very special event that opens architecturally designed houses to the public – a unique opportunity to see inside buildings you would otherwise only ever see in a magazine.
The programme spans two days, Friday in Whanganui, Te Papaioea Palmerston North on Saturday. Don't miss this very special, one off event.
• 23-24 October
• Check for times
• Whanganui and Palmerston North
• Time and location details will be provided once ticket purchase is complete.
• Cost: $30+BF