Aotea Centre

Aotea – Te Pokapū | Aotea Centre is Auckland's flagship performing arts and convention venue, occupying the western edge of Aotea Square at 50 Mayoral Drive in the heart of the city's CBD. Built between 1985 and 1989 at a construction cost of NZ$128.5 million and officially opened in 1990, the centre sits within the Aotea Arts Quarter alongside the Auckland Town Hall and The Civic. It is owned by Auckland Council and operated by Auckland Unlimited — through Auckland Live for performances and Auckland Conventions, Venues & Events for business events and venue hire.

The centre's largest space is the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre (renamed from the ASB Theatre in 2019), a 2,139-seat tiered auditorium described by its operator as one of New Zealand's largest modern tiered auditoriums; it can also be configured for banquet seating for up to 160 or cocktail functions for up to 300. The smaller Herald Theatre seats 186 and is used mainly by independent theatre companies.

Beyond the theatres, Aotea Centre offers a substantial suite of conference and exhibition spaces. The Hunua Rooms (909m² in total, divisible into three) can be set for up to 778 theatre-style, 580 banquet or 900 cocktail. The Waitākere Rooms (518m², also divisible) hold up to 440 theatre-style or 500 cocktail. Smaller options include the Limelight rooms (236m²), Waihorotiu Rooms (278m²) and Circle Foyer (460m²), while the Balcony Foyer (1,100m²) and Stalls Foyer (800m²) provide large-scale exhibition or function space, with cocktail capacities of up to 1,000 and 800 respectively. All rooms are equipped with wired and wireless connectivity and can be data-linked for multi-space conventions.

The venue is centrally located — roughly a 15-minute walk or short bus ride from Britomart Transport Centre, and about 30 minutes' drive from Auckland Airport — with The Civic Car Park the closest car park, offering step-free access to Aotea Centre's Level 1. A range of accommodation is within walking distance, including the Grand Millennium, Heritage Auckland and CityLife Auckland.

Aotea Centre has hosted a wide range of conferences, exhibitions and civic events, including the draw for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and industry and association conferences such as the World Avocado Congress. Its foyers also display notable New Zealand artworks, including Lisa Reihana's digital work Ihi.

With its scale, central location and mix of theatre, meeting and exhibition spaces, Aotea Centre suits large conferences and association congresses needing a major plenary auditorium, as well as trade shows, exhibitions, gala dinners and multi-stream events that combine several breakout spaces. Auckland venues