Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei will lead the the launch of the 2021 Auckland Arts Festival with karakia and ceremony at Te Timatanga on 4 March.

Watch the Trick of the Light Theatre’s new show The Griegol an eerie, elegant tale without words about death, love, grief and monsters at Rangatira, Q Theatre from 4 to 7 March.

Featuring no ordinary Jack and no ordinary beanstalk, Jack and the Beanstalk is a family show that brings a giant ant, a crazy chase, the Sky Tower, an alien invasion and a lovesick villain into the fairytale fold for an outlandish and joyous theatrical trip. You’ll be splitting your sides at this family show at the Bruce Mason Centre from 11 to 14 March.

Enjoy E.T. the Extra-terrestrial in Concert on 13 March with the family. Watch Steven Spielberg’s beloved movie with John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score performed live by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

Celebrating Māori and Pasifika culture through the orchestra, Tekau! features 250 young musicians across a 100-piece string orchestra and choir of 150, in a repertoire full of Sistema Aotearoa favourites including ‘Poi E’, ‘Pasifika Medley’ and ‘Maranga Rā’ on 6 March.

Watch international circus sensation Thomas Monckton in The Artist is back with his latest and greatest solo show, a physical theatre comedy masterpiece about a nutty painter with an almighty creative block on 17 to 20 March at Rangatira, Q Theatre.

Siva Afi Festival at Mangere Arts Centre ignites the night with performers of the traditional, exhilarating Samoan art form as they showcase their talents and complete for glory, setting alight the Festival with the fire of Polynesia on the12 and 13 March.

Go on a unique, sensorial performance walk of connectivity that explores whakapapa, history and a deepening experience of the beautiful forest in Piha He owha matarua hauntology-of inheritance is on for 2 days only on 13 and 14 March 2021.

Arts + Climate Innovation: Coexistance with our Natural World is an illuminating kōrero with renowned artists and scientists Dr Daniel Hikuroa, Bernard Makoare, Aigagalefili Fepulea’i-Tapua’i and Distinguished Professor, Dame Anne Salmond exploring how cultural knowledge, artistic expression and storytelling are inextricably linked to the world in which we live, and how a deeper understanding of these interconnections can help us to ignite transformative climate solutions.

Find out more about the 2021 Auckland Arts Festival.