Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival and The Symphony Centre have come together to reinstate Aotea Arts Quarter as the heart of culture and creativity.

The Aotea Arts Quarter is set to undergo a revamp with a $600 million regeneration project that will see the realisation of a world class precinct that has arts and culture at the fore. Underpinning this is a three-year partnership between Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival and The Symphony Centre. 

Both organisations are committed to preserving the identity and legacy of Auckland’s hub of culture, connection and creativity.

This project will look like a mixed-use vertical village, to be built on top of the new Te Waihorotiu Station, led by local firm RCP and international developers, MRCB.

“As reductions in arts funding continue to have far reaching impact around the world, private sector support for the arts has become increasingly important,” says Auckland Arts Festival CEO, Robbie Macrae.

“This investment by RCP and MRCB is key to the sustainability of the arts sector across Auckland and New Zealand and has huge benefits to the wellbeing of our society through participation in and experience of the arts.”

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The Symphony Centre is set to be the new hub that celebrates diversity, culture, and artistic innovation.

Macrae says a centre like this is instrumental in making “Auckland a more vibrant city to live, work, and play in”.

“The Symphony Centre, Bledisloe House, and The Lanes development will incorporate arts and culture into daily living, heralding a revitalisation of Aotea Arts Quarter and usher in a revived cultural heartbeat to the city. Partnering with Auckland Arts Festival means we can tangibly support arts experiences and to continue to connect people and communities in the heart of the city,” adds Cristean Monreal, Director at RCP.

The Auckland Arts Festival has seen more than 2.2 million people since 2003 and with this partnership allows for celebration and support for the country’s largest city’s art venues and infrastructures.

“Auckland Arts Festival is a globally recognised celebration of art and culture, one that has a deep history, and a prosperous future with Aotea Arts Quarter. By partnering with Auckland Arts Festival, we can ensure that as we develop this precinct, and revive one of the city’s most unique inner city neighbourhoods, it continues to be a place of creativity and entertainment,” says Ravi Krishnan, MRCB CEO.