Venue Spotlight : Aotea Centre

Aotea – Te Pokapū | Aotea Centre is the flagship venue of Auckland Conventions, Venues & Events. Located within the Aotea Arts Quarter, alongside The Civic and Auckland Town Hall, it is a premier destination for performing arts, conferences, gala dinners, and more.

Home to one of New Zealand’s largest tiered auditoriums, Aotea Centre seats over 2,000 guests across three levels. Its expansive foyers and flexible meeting spaces, including multiple breakout rooms, cater to both intimate gatherings and large-scale events.

With dining, accommodation, and entertainment just steps away, the venue offers unmatched convenience. Cutting-edge technology, seamless connectivity, and data-linked rooms ensure a world-class experience for any event. 

Did you know? 

The Aotea Centre was designed in 1974 by city architect Ewen Wainscott but wasn’t constructed until the late 1980s.

It officially opened in 1990, with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa headlining the inaugural concert. In her honour, the venue’s iconic theatre was named the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. 

The Aotea Centre underwent a major refurbishment in 2013, introducing two theatres: the 2,139-seat Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre and the 186-seat Herald Theatre. The venue’s front façade was also redesigned to create a more open and inviting space, featuring what is now The Terrace Café. 

Further upgrades in 2018 modernised the centre’s foyers, enhancing their flow and functionality. The revitalised spaces are now brighter and more contemporary, featuring stylish function areas and newly designed bar spaces.

The refurbishment also introduced natural daylight into event spaces such as the Hunua Room, creating a more inviting and versatile environment for gatherings.

Aotea Centre has been the venue for numerous major events, such as World Conference on Women and Sports in 2022, World Avocado Congress in 2023, Microsoft Conference and Anaesthesia ASM Gala Dinner in 2024.

In 1988, as part of the building of Aotea Centre, Auckland commissioned a significant body of work from prominent New Zealand artists. The pieces, displayed throughout the Aotea Centre and Aotea Square, comprise some of New Zealand’s most highly regarded artworks.

You can find out more about the artworks at Aotea here.

Aotea Centre is home to one of the largest and most significant contemporary Māori artworks in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ihi Screen – Ihi, by Lisa Reihana, is a captivating digital artwork that brings to life the traditional Māori story of creation. Spanning two floor-to-ceiling spaces in the Aotea Centre foyer, Ihi mesmerises viewers with the tale of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, unfolding across 65-square-metre digital screens.

Find out more about this significant piece of artwork here.