Toi Poneke Arts Centre

19/06/2026

Toi Aro, our arts centre, is coming to life! Artists, performers and creative organisations are already making the spaces at 3 Market Lane their own through rehearsals, performances, and exciting new work. 🎉🎊

Toi Aro continues the legacy of Toi Pōneke Arts Centre, which supported artists across film, visual arts, literature, theatre, dance and music for more than 20 years.

The first event at Toi Aro is Waenga, a play presented by the longest running Māori theatre company in Aotearoa, Te Rākau Hua O Te Wao Tapu Trust, created in partnership with Hurō Productions.

From 10 July – 15 October, Te Ara Toi Gallery will host a mana whenua exhibition, featuring powerful artworks, taonga and stories, featuring works from Erenora Puketapu-Hetet, Ariki Brightwell, Hinemoana Baker, Elena Rei, Kauia Moriarty, and more.

Contemporary dance is also taking centre stage at Toi Aro, with Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance residents developing and presenting new works through residencies supported by Footnote NZ Dance, Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance and the Hannah Playhouse. 🩰 💃

Toi Aro is also proud to welcome resident artists and organisations including SOUNZ, Kavanah Productions, Arts Access Aotearoa, Workspace Studios, NZ Comedy School and Dead Teapot Ltd, along with independent artists.

The vibrant June – July programme is underway, and it is only just the beginning! 🤝

Check out the creative spaces at Toi Aro, classes, workshops, wānanga, events, artist opportunities, and learn more about the first resident artists and organisations, and explore what is on at Toi Aro below 👇

📷 Image credit to: Māori theatre company Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu prepare for their play Waenga at Toi Aro arts centre.

03/06/2026

Kia ora Arts Whānau!

On Saturday June 6 between 11am and 2pm the East building at Toi Pōneke will be open for our arts community to come retrieve items that are not moving with us to the new Toi Aro facility.

All available items will be free to a good home or arts facility/ studio.

This includes:

• Furniture
• Fittings
• Kitchen equipment
• Crockery, utensils, cups, glassware
• Books, magazines

Please note no holds and all items need to be picked up by 2pm on the day.

Looking forward to seeing you there ☀

29/05/2026

Toi Pōneke Legacy Lives on! Do you have a story to tell or and image to share about your time at Toi Pōneke please post or send it through to us. Here is one of my times back in 2006 Rehearsing in the Upper Chamber the BATS Theatre STAB Season: "I Ain't Nothing But / A Glimmer in the Dark she said".
I Ain't Nothing But

Will Julian Wilson
Lucifer Te Kohe Tuhaka
Lilith Kate Fitzroy
Evie Katlyn Wong

A Glimmer in the Dark, she said

Devised by:
Amanda Hereaka, Nancy Brunning, Fiona Truelove, Julian Wilson, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Kate Fitzroy, Katlyn Wong, Grace Hoete, Jennifer Proctor-Hegglun

With assistance from: Emily Keddell, Will Harris

Rae Nancy Brunning
Clare Fiona Truelove
Will Julian Wilson
God Te Kohe Tuhaka
Lilith Kate Fitzroy
Evie Katlyn Wong

Executive Producers BATS Theatre
Producer/Co-Director Amanda Hereaka
Director Grace Hoete
Playwright Whiti Hereaka
Sound design Simon Bowden, Blair Latham, Nils Olsen (CL BOB)
Lighting designer Joshua Judkins
Stage Manager Jennifer Proctor-Hegglun
Marketing Design Viv Bernard
Publicity Lily Chalmers
Illustration Stephen Templer
Set Building Tony Quayle, Abe Hereaka
AV Neill Bryce, Ezra Keddell, Rob Larsen
Operators Simon Raynor
Marlena Campbell
Commissioned by BATS Theatre
With funding from Creative New Zealand

Nurturing Wellington's creative community since 2005.

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

03/05/2026

Congratulations Waka Wikaire-James, Sophie Hampson, cast and crew of Ātaahua for an incredible preview screening at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre last month!

Waka is one of our Toi Pōneke reception team alumni and is the writer and director of Ātaahua, shot at Toi Pōneke Arts centre in late 2025. We're so happy to have him and the crew back for a wonderful evening previewing the short film for their friends and family.

To keep up to date with the short film follow the Ātaahua productions instagram page: .pictures

28/04/2026

ON THIS WEEK
Performance and Artist Talk: Daniel Beban and Tim Barlow
6 - 8pm, Fri 1st May
Toi Pōneke Gallery
Free��

Co-creators of the 'Shadow Signals' exhibition, Daniel Beban and Tim Barlow will activate the installation in a duo performance, followed by an artist talk discussing the exhibition and other works. ��

More info:
https://toiponeke.nz/events/2026/05/01/performance-and-artist-talk-daniel-beban-and-tim-barlow

22/04/2026

📢📢AROTAHI RINGATOI/ARTIST SPOTLIGHT📢📢
Tim Barlow’s art practice includes; community based and interactive public art, themed installations, and building concrete sculptures from innovative materials. Recently he has been experimenting with building seawalls made from industrial waste and the fascinating and fast-moving field of optical technology, where data communication collides with the human senses.

Tim Barlow will be creating an immersive, interactive sound installation titled 'Shadow Signals' alongside fellow artist Daniel Beban. This exhibition opens tomorrow and will run from 24 April - 15 May and will be our last exhibition in our Abel Smith St gallery.

Daniel and Tim will be performing and talking about their work on Fri 1st May, 6 - 8pm.

More Info:
https://toiponeke.nz/events/shadow-signals

15/04/2026

AROTAHI RINGATOI/ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
2025 Toi Põneke/NZSM Sonic Artist in Residence, Daniel Beban has been a central figure in Wellingtonʼs creative music community since the early 2000s, performing, recording, and creating sound sculptures. His music and sound practice explores the sonic possibilities of the things and people he comes into contact with. Many of his works are created from found objects, and often incorporate recycled materials. Daniel is founder and director of Pyramid Club.

Daniel will be creating an immersive, interactive sound installation titled 'Shadow Signals' alongside fellow artist Tim Barlow. The exhibition will run from 24 April - 15 May and will be our last exhibition in our Abel Smith St gallery.

Daniel and Tim will be performing and talking about their work on Fri 1st May, 6 - 8pm.

More Info:
https://toiponeke.nz/events/shadow-signals

13/04/2026

Thanks to all those that came to Andi C Buchanan's work in progress reading of their draft novel -Poison. This was the accumulated work of their 8 week - Toi Pōneke d/Deaf and/or Disabled Artists Development Residency. It was so good to hear excerpts from the novel. Congratulations Andi for all your creative mahi! and we wish you all the best with this work as it develops further.