A community guide to creative events in the Waikato region
13 EVENTS
12 EVENTS
4 EVENTS
9 EVENTS
3 EVENTS
30 EVENTS
5 OPPORTUNITIES
Rachel Paris, Megan Nicol Reed & Josie Shapiro in conversation with Tina Shaw about the power of fiction and how they make their stories come alive.
14 AugHamilton
In this workshop with bestselling author Josie Shapiro, we look closely at sentences and how to unlock your prose to build better narrative flow.
15 AugHamilton
WOMEN AND QUEER MUSICIANS WHO SHAPE THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF JAZZ
Award winning author Dr. David Coventry & one of New Zealand’s foremost practitioners of the short story and poem, Dr. Tracey Slaughter.
16 AugHamilton
Pub Choir at the BNZ Theatre in August.
17 AugHamilton
Learn the beautiful art of coptic bookbinding in a chill, hands-on workshop at Whare Hau Tutū.
18 AugHamilton
Lunchtime Concert by Waikato Students.
19 AugHamilton
Get a team together and test your literary knowledge across a variety of genres with quizmasters Cate Prestidge and Gail Pittaway.
20 AugHamilton
Dirty Dancing – One of the most requested films is coming back to the big screen.
Nature in Your Hands explores the beauty and fragility of New Zealand’s native wildlife through acrylic paintings
Aug 1 – 15
Award-winning journalists and former foreign correspondents Charlotte Glennie and Mike McRoberts discuss their memoirs.
21 AugHamilton
Locally written, award-winning family-drama debuting at the Meteor Theatre.
Aug 20 – 22Hamilton
A wānanga where participants learn and practice earth-based pigments deepen their relationship with natural materials.
22 AugHamilton
Learn the different skills needed to tell stories across a range of platforms.
Youth and adult speculative fiction writing workshops plus awards gala with panel and guest speaker.
Experience Hamilton City Brass performing spectacular music from the silver screen in a fun-filled concert packed with excitement, nostalgia, and thri
Join Cantando Choir for a choral masterclass with renowned vocal coach Dr Anna Leese or enjoy the presentation and afternoon tea with the Choir.
22 Aug
Experience the music of Finnish composers Sibelius and Magnus Lindberg in one glorious concert
23 AugHamilton
A celebration of Aotearoa music, where legendary artists and rangatahi unite — Amplify Aotearoa: Take It To The Bridge.
NZSO Myths & Legends at the BNZ Theatre.
WAIPRINT is an annual exhibition of works by Waikato Society of Arts printmakers.
Aug 8 – 30Hamilton
A wonderful exhibition of experimental printmaking.
Experience Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery after hours and see the Museum in a whole new light.
26 AugHamilton
Hear Browsers Bookshop owner Rachel Pope talk about what makes books valuable and collectible. Bring along a book for her to assess.
Gala opening of The New Zealand International Film Festival
27 AugHamilton
Learn the principles of kōwhaiwhai, their purākau and how to draw them in a small rōpū.
Year 5 & 6 and year 7 & 8 teams across the Waikato gather to compete for the hotly contested title of 2026 Waikato Book Battle Champions.
28 AugHamilton
Pulse of Life bursts with the thrill of discovery, bringing together world and New Zealand premieres alongside beloved classics.
29 AugHamilton
Come along to our annual combined showcase featuring the young musicians of the Waikato.
Explore poetry’s power to address life’s issues in this practical workshop.
Tāhei Toi, Muka, and now Pīkau have officially been added to the whānau.
A children’s concert inspired by wizards, fairy tales, and folk stories from around the world.
30 AugHamilton
Ash + Aperture is a collaborative exhibition by ceramic artist Dave Austin and photographer Mark Hamilton timed to celebrate Matariki.
22 Jul – 14 Aug
$3,000 commission to paint a utility box mural at an affordable housing development in Cambridge, Waikato.
29 Jul – 28 Aug
Penny returns home to discover that the town’s annual potato race has separate prizes for men and women with $1,000 for men, and only $200 for women.
22 Aug – 5 SepCambridge
Create your own hand-crafted book using a range of mixed media techniques in a supportive studio environment.
23 Jul – 27 AugHamilton
The Art Room Project is a creative wellbeing programme in Hamilton for girls aged 14–17.
4 Aug – 8 SepHamilton
New Zealand International Film festival
27 Aug – 9 SepHamilton
GLOtron!, Hamilton’s world-exclusive glow-in-the-dark storyscape experience launches in less than a month!
20 Jul – 30 AugHamilton
Queen Forever at the BNZ Theatre.
5 SepHamilton
Capture the beauty of Spring in watercolour with Sandra Morris.
5 SepTauwhare
Forget about creating the perfect likeness. This is a relaxed three-hour portrait workshop in Hamilton exploring faces through mixed media!
Spend a day immersed in our unique arboretum environment capturing the essence of Spring.
6 SepTauwhare
Build creative confidence, learn new techniques, and develop your own artistic toolkit.
20 Jul – 7 SepHamilton
Be inspired by flowers, gardens, trees and landscapes as you explore a range of creative techniques
Kids Art Hamilton | Creative Play Class for Homeschoolers 🎨
Starts Tuesday 21 July – 8 Sept or Friday 24 July – 11 Sept
21 Jul – 8 SepHamilton
A creative art workshop designed to support wellbeing through art-making in a calm, welcoming studio environment.
22 Jul – 9 SepHamilton
A fun, relaxed after school art club where children can explore creativity, make art and build confidence through guided projects
Ready to take the next step in your creative practice?
Exploring bold, expressive art-making through print, texture, collage, layering and mixed media techniques.
23 Jul – 10 SepHamilton
Take time for yourself, meet other women, and enjoy making art in a relaxed and supportive environment.
A hands-on, exploratory art workshop where you’ll experiment with both 2D and 3D techniques.
24 Jul – 11 SepHamilton
Learn to draw step by step in a supportive and relaxed studio environment.
Explore the exciting effects of Pop Riveting and create your own sculpture.
12 SepTauwhare
Join us for CCMF 2026 and immerse yourself in a weekend of exceptional chamber music.
Sep 11 – 13Cambridge
In The Winter Collection 2026 we explore the twin dialectics of chaos and calm.
19 Jun – 21 AugHamilton
With 2026 marking our 80th Anniversary, we bring you a celebratory concert- Tiakina Te Reo Waiata- Keeping the Song Alive.
19 SepCambridge
30 SepHamilton
The works invite attention to the movement of light, the traces of time, and the relationships between bodies and their surroundings.
2 Sep – 2 OctHamilton
Your opportunity to explore traditional whatu techniques with contemporary mediums with Julz @ tiaki rAranga in collaboration with Whare Hau Tutū
6 OctHamilton
8 OctHamilton
Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley at the BNZ Theatre.
10 OctHamilton
Come visit our official Raglan Arts Weekend Preview Exhibition and secure a special artwork at a fraction of its value.
Oct 2 – 26Raglan
Youth Filmmakers Workshops in Hamilton and Cambridge
6 Jul – 8 Nov
Björn Again at the BNZ Theatre.
16 OctHamilton
artbeat music & arts festival is a 2 day event – 10am – 4pm 17/18th October – to showcase the amazing creatives we have in the Ōtorohanga District!
Oct 17 – 18Otorohanga
The 16th Raglan Arts Weekend this October is set to impress with over 70 participating artists, plus installations, public art murals, demos & music.
Oct 24 – 26Raglan
28 OctHamilton
The date is decided. The venue is booked. And the planning starts now. Its about to get unreal really quick. The last ever Miss Cadaver for real.
31 Oct
Gather your friends, dress up, and dance the night away this Halloween with a Silent Disco at the Museum.
31 OctHamilton
Kick off Halloween with a spooky silent disco designed for young people aged 8+
We are looking for Artists to participate in this years Festival.
25 Jun – 1 Nov
Life drawing of human figure every Friday afternoon at the Cathedral
12 Sep – 18 DecHamilton
The Arts for Health Annual New Zealand Art Competition and Exhibition is open to artists from across New Zealand.
29 Oct – 21 NovHamilton
Learn the principles of kōwhaiwhai, their purākau and how to draw them in a small rōpū. 4 Evening Wānanga Available – Check out our website for dates
30 Apr – 8 OctHamilton
A festival for independent, NZ-made films
Nov 6 – 8Te Awamutu
Floral artists come together to create visual displays captivating audiences of all ages
Nov 11 – 14Matamata
Courtney Barnett at the BNZ Theatre in November.
18 NovHamilton
Aldous Harding at the BNZ Theatre in November.
25 NovHamilton
A wānanga where participants learn and practice earth-based pigment making and deepen their relationship with natural materials.
28 NovHamilton
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2026 Season is a year of drama, beauty and imagination – where timeless stories and bold new visions collide.
Nov 27 – 29Hamilton
A sumptuous programme of music by the late-Baroque Italian genius Giovanni Pergolesi and French-Baroque master Jean-Philippe Rameau.
11 DecHamilton
Join us for the annual 10-day arts festival celebrating beautiful Cambridge in Autumn!
Mar 12 – 21, 2027
Australia/NZ’s first Poetry Therapy certification: Harness poetry’s healing power for community workshops and personal transformation.
1 Sep, 2025 – 1 Sep, 2027
The free weekly directory for 100+ creative grants, residencies, prizes, and commissions across NZ, Australia, and internationally.
1 Apr, 2026 – 1 Apr, 2028
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