Diving into The Auckland Arts Festival is bringing in two American indie bands who like to mix things up musically. Lydia Jenkin profiles Lake Street Dive.

Diving into The Auckland Arts Festival is bringing in two American indie bands who like to mix things up musically. Lydia Jenkin profiles Phox.

"I don't make lollies!" Lemi Ponifasio is talking about the often-extreme reaction to his latest production, I AM, from which many audience members walked out when it was staged at last year's Edinburgh International Festival.

With the ongoing diet of gallery exhibitions, theatre and comedy, Auckland's creative offering rivals any of the world's great international cities, writes Heather Shotter.

Until now, the two NZ festivals have co-existed - Auckland on the odd years, Wellington the even. But from 2016, Auckland goes annual for the first time, writes Brian Rudman.

Researchers from Australia have come up with a way of putting a dollar value to the "feel-good" factor of a major culture event, writes Brian Rudman.

Substantial classical music has been meagre in this Auckland Arts Festival.

There were a few bumps leading up to Auckland Arts Festival's first-centenary tribute to Benjamin Britten.

The Auckland Arts Festival Trust wants the event held every year instead of every two.

It may have been a little early for English high tea, but the cabaret-style seating in the concert chamber aimed to recreate the spirit of an 18th century German coffee-house.

The festival offering from playwright Mitch Tawhi Thomas is a taut study of family dysfunction that finds plenty of life and laughter in the explosive quarrelling of estranged brothers.

The Auckland Arts Festival's centrepiece demonstrates what happens when the sophisticated elegance of commedia dell'arte collides with the eccentric weirdness of classic British comedy.

So far, as an audience member during this Auckland Arts Festival and Fringe feast, I have enthusiastically eaten cake, sprinted down a city road, predicted the future with flashcards, sat cross-legged on a school mat, and jumped into a bouncy castle.

Auckland Arts Festival celebrates Benjamin Britten's centenary not once, but twice next week.

Exhibitions that run during the Auckland Arts Festival should have some special factor that lifts them above the run of the mill.

Dozens of events all over Auckland will be shining brightly and busily tonight for Auckland Arts Festival's White Night, which stretches from the CBD to all corners of the city.

One of Auckland's best-known streets, Dominion Rd, will be sharing some of its history in a unique way this weekend.