Highlight Reel:
Happy Birthday: To celebrate John Milton's 400th birthday, a programme of poems and passages form Milton's writing, devised and compered by Prof John Hale, will be held on Tuesday, December 9, at the Dunedin City Library, 230 Moray Pl, 4th Floor, Duningham Suite.
Merry retro Christmas: Pixietown starts at the Otago Settlers Museum on Saturday, open daily 1pm-4pm and weekends 10am-noon.
Looking Back: "Once more with feeling", an exhibition at the Hocken Gallery by Wellington photographer Ann Shelton, is based on paintings of the former Seacliff psychiatric hospital and its most famous resident, murderer Lionel Terry. It opens at 5.30pm tomorrow and runs till January 24.
Gigs
Alibi, the Octagon.
Tomorrow, 7pm: Trevor Coleman & Mbryo.
Arc Cafe, High St.
Mondays at 9pm: "Arcoustic" open-mike night.
Bath St, Dunedin.
Tonight, 9pm: In-house tunes with guest DJs.
Tomorrow, 10pm: Gus Vs Contra: DnB, Dubstep and electro diversity.
Saturday, 10pm: Evolution Of Sound V2.0, Titts Magee, Satch and more.
Circadian Rythm Cafe, 72 St Andrew St.
Fridays, 5.30pm: Philtre jazz trio.
Cinema Paradiso, Wanaka.
Tomorrow, 8pm: Stuart O'Conner, Live and Acoustic.
Dunedin Musicians Club, 12 Manse St.
Saturday, 9pm: The Whirling Eddies.
Empire Tavern, 396 Princes St.
Wednesdays: Jam night, 8.30pm.
Isis Lounge, 68 Princes St.
Every Thursday: Oxo Cubans, jam night, 8.30pm.
Friday, 9pm: Oxo Cubans, Saturday, 9pm: Stomp.
Pequeno, the Savoy.
Thursdays: Mojaz. Lounge music from 8pm.
Ra Cafe and Bar, 21 the Octagon, Dunedin.
Tonight, 7pm: Terry Ebeling.
Friday, 5pm: Alan Train.
ReFuel, University Union.
Tuesdays: Jazz in the Pocket jazz jam night. Doors open 8pm.
Robbie Burns Pub, 374 George St, Dunedin.
Thursdays: Calder Prescott Jazz Quartet, 8.30pm.
Sammy's, 65 Crawford St, Dunedin.
Friday, 10pm: Plastician (UK), with local support.
Saturday, 9pm: Willy Wonky: Christmas Special.
The Terrace Bar, 6 Octagon, Dunedin.
Saturday, 10pm: Livewire, classic rock.
Family fun
Dunedin City Library, 230 Moray Pl.
Wednesday, 10.30am, children's library: Preschool story time.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the Octagon.
Saturday and Sunday: Using the gallery's materials, make your own Christmas decorations. Free.
Forbury Park Raceway, December 6 & 7: Kids World Christmas Expo.
Knox Church Hall, 449 George St, Dunedin.
Fridays, 1.30pm-2.30pm: Music for children aged 0-5 and carers.
Otago Museum, 419 Great King St, Dunedin.
Explorer backpacks for 7- to 12-year-olds (free). Guided tours daily at 11.30am and 3.30pm.
Meet at the information desk.
Weekends, 10.30am and 2pm, Atrium Level 1: Children's creative activities.
Weekends during December, noon and 3.30pm, Atrium Level 1: Constructing stone tools. Free.
Every Saturday and Sunday during December, 11am and 3pm, Discovery World: Mission Evolution.
Every Tuesday, 3.30pm-4.30pm, until December 9: Prehistoric explorers afterschool club.
Visitor Information Centre, Octagon.
Daily, 11am: Walk Dunedin, inner-city walking tours. Meet at the Visitor Centre.
Music and performance
Barclay Theatre,Otago Museum: Sunday, 1.15pm: Introduction by Professor Terence Dennis followed by a screening of Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Octagon.
Sunday, 1 & 1.30pm: Dunedin a cappella gospel choir Sunny Side Up will sing a variety of tunes.
Dunedin City Library, 230 Moray Pl.
December 9, 4th Floor, Dunningham Suite: A programme of poems and passages from John Milton's writing, devised and compered by John Hale to celebrate Milton's 400th birthday.
Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka.
Tonight, 7.30pm: Harp & Flute concert by Helen Webby and Anthony Ferner.
Otago Museum, 419 Great King St, Dunedin.
Tomorrow and Saturday, noon: Lunchtime music.
St Paul's Cathedral, The Octagon, Dunedin.
Friday, 12.15pm: "A Babe is Born", directed by Daniel Kelly.
Plays
Fortune Theatre, 231 Stuart St, Dunedin.
Until December 6: Roger Hall's pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.
Talks and films
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the Octagon.
Saturday, 3pm: Chris Brickell discusses aspects of his publication on gay liberation, "Mates and Lovers: A History of Gay New Zealand".
Sunday, 3pm: The Film Archive presents Painting her Life: Rita Angus (approx. 70 mins).
Otago Museum, 419 Great King St, Dunedin.
Free daily talks, 2pm and 4.30pm.
Exhibitions
Aigantighe Art Gallery, 49 Wai-iti Rd, Timaru.
Until March 1, 2009: "Just Hanging Out for a Ride", by David Woodings.
From Saturday until March 1: Rua Pick, "Te Whare o Anupihi".
Anchorage Gallery, 19 George St, Port Chalmers.
Recent works in pastel from Karen Davis.
The Artist's Room, 2 Dowling St, Dunedin. "Patterning Identity" by David Teata.
ArtSouth Gallery of Fine Art, Upper level, Old Post, 105 Main St, Gore.
Until December 12: "Live Art" works by Graham Brinsley, Liz Bristow, Judith Lane-Ewing, Daina O'Hagan and Claire Worrall.
The Art Station, Dunedin Railway Station, from Saturday until February 1: "Kitsch & Kaboodle".
Bellamys Gallery, Macandrew Bay, until December 14: "First Impressions" by Manu Berry. open Wed-Fri 11am-5pm, weekends noon-5pm.
Blue Oyster Gallery, basement, Moray Chambers, 30 Moray Pl.
Until December 13: "Thunder Head and Rainbow Face", works by Mike Cooke.
Broad Bay Hall, Clearwater Street, Broad Bay, until December 7: "Village People", works by local artists and school children raising money for Kondoa school in Tanzania.
Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery, 21 Centennial Ave, Alexandra.
Open seven days, 10am-4pm.
From Sunday until January 31: Christmas exhibition featuring 12 Central Otago artists.
Collaborations Gallery, Dunbar House.
New figurative works by Julian Maher.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the Octagon.
Until March 8, 2009: "The Colour of Everyday: The European Watercolours of Frances Hodgkins".
Until February 9: "Hail Falls Noisily on Bamboo Leaves". Japanese prints.
Until February 15: "Rita Angus: Life and Vision".
Until January 25: Michelle Beevors, "Debbie does Disney".
Until Febuary 22: Peter Stichbury "The Alumni".
Ongoing: "The Grand Tour".
Dunedin City Library, 230 Moray Pl, Dunedin.
Third floor, until December 31: "How we began: the first six years of the Dunedin Public Library" from its opening in 1908.
Eastern Southland Gallery, corner Hokonui Dr and Norfolk St, Gore.
Until December 7: "Hard Out - Twenty years of painting" Ewan McDougall; "Exiles", Rudolf Bolee.
Forrester Gallery, 9 Thames St, Oamaru.
Until January 18: "Plants in Close-Up" by Barry Walsh and "Vanishing Ice" by Jo Woolley.
Until January 23: "Lecture Series" by John Badcock.
Until March 2009: "Councillors' Choice", 11 works from the gallery's collection chosen by the Waitaki mayor and councillors and "Public Good Private Good".
Gallery De Novo, 101 Stuart St, Dunedin.
Until December 4: "Orbicular" - new works by Jo St Baker.
From tomorrow: Summer Group show featuring key Gallery De Novo artists.
Gallery on Blueskin, 1 Harvey St, Waitati.
From tomorrow until December 19: "Plant", new work by Jenna Packer.
Gateway Gallery, 27 Ross Pl, Lawrence.
"Perpetual Collective": Ron Esplin, Bob Wyber (jewellery), James Stewart (chair-maker), Pamela Brown, Gay Webb (masks and torsos), Ray Ansin (glass), Ben Woollcombe, Margaret Palmer-McKenzie, Blue Hall (wood), Murray Ayson, Gilbert van Reenen, and others. Open Thursday-Monday.
Harris Smith Art, 86-88 Bond St, Dunedin.
Paintings by Jeffrey Harris and sculptures by Nicole Page-Smith.
Open Monday-Saturday, 1-2pm, or by appointment.
Hocken Gallery, corner Anzac Ave and Parry St.
December 6-January 24: "Once more with feeling", works by Ann Shelton.
Hullabaloo Art Space, Melmore Tce, Old Cromwell Historic Precinct.
Until December 7: "My Grandmother's Gifts and Other Treasures" by ceramic artist Lynne Wilson.
Until Febuary 1: "Summer Exhibition", works by Megan Huffadine, Odelle Morshuis, Rachel Hirabayashi, Lynne Wilson, Nigel Wilson, Claire Worrell, Alice Blackely, Susan Blakely, Nina Conradi, Liz Kempthorne, Luke Anthony, Jane Casey, Jane Armour, Kay Todd and Jillian Porteous.
Lakes District Museum and Gallery, Arrowtown, until March 1: "Our Piece of Paradise - Cribbies in the Wakatipu 1940s-1980s".
The Manniquin Cafe 185 North Rd, Northeast Valley.
Until December 15: Group exhibition featuring local artists.
Milford Galleries Dunedin, 18 Dowling St.
Until December 17: "Array", sculptures by John Edgar and "Home Is Where The Art Is", paintings by Tony Bishop.
Milford Galleries Queenstown, 9a Earl St.
Until December 15: "Melt" by Neil Frazer.
Moray Gallery, 55 Princes St, Dunedin, until tomorrow: "Spectrum", works by James Kerr.
From Saturday until early 2009: Selected artists: "Summer Postcards from the Antipodes".
Nadene Milne Gallery, 16 Buckingham St, Arrowtown.
Until December 14: "Russell Moses".
Otago Museum, 419 Great King St, Dunedin.
Until early 2009: "Ted McCoy - Architect".
People of the World Gallery, level 2, free.
Until March 2009: "The Emperor's Dragons: precious collections from the Shanghai Museum". 1877 Gallery, level 1, free. "Charles Darwin: Evolutionary Thinking".
Otago Settlers Museum, 31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin.
Until June 2009: "Chinese Treasures". Reflecting the history and interests of the Chinese community of Dunedin.
"Across the Ocean Waves". An interactive exhibition about Otago immigration in the age of sail.
Until March 25: "Shop Keeping". Chris Gable celebrates the independent retailer in Dunedin.
Owaka Museum, 10 Campbell St.
Mon-Fri, until December 7: "The Birds and the Trees". Marty Penn - Oamaru stone and ponga sculptures; Bob Steiner - ceramics.
Port Chalmers Design Store, 15 George St, Port Chalmers.
From December 10: Exhibition featuring works by Simon Kaan and Martin Poppelwell.
Port Royale Cafe, George St, Port Chalmers.
Paintings by Jacque Ruston and Antoinette O'Flanagan.
Renaissance Gallery and Sculpture Garden, corner Junction Rd and Matai St, Ravensbourne, until Febuary 24: "Summer Creations", group show.
Rocda Gallery, 233 Stuart St (next to the Fortune Theatre), Dunedin.
New works by Linda-H. Exhibition hours: Monday-Friday, noon-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, noon-2pm, or by appointment.
Salisbury House Gallery, The Manse, 5 Smith St,
From Saturday until December 20: "Greed is Good", works by Ewan McDougall, and "1200 miles", works by Elizabeth Marshall and Kirsten Wenborn.
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm, or by appointment.
Scapes Gallery, 324 South Rd, Caversham.
Ceramics by Riki Julin.
South Seas Gallery, 1088 Brighton Rd, Brighton, Saturdays and Sundays, 1pm-5pm.
Until January 20: "A Good All Round Exhibition".
Stuart St Potters Co-operative, 14 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin.
Until December 14: "Josephine's Tea Ceremony".
Until January 5: "Christmas at the co-op".
Taieri Gallery, 123 Gordon Rd, Mosgiel, until December 16: works by Brighton artist Jemima Pedro.
Temple Gallery, 29 Moray Pl, Dunedin, "What's New Pussycat?".
Works by Michaela Cox, Nicola Jackson, Mary McFarlane, Fiona Pardington, Miranda Parkes, Seraphine Pick, Jo Robertson, Heather Straka, Jo Soster, Diana Smillie, Marie Strauss.
Until December 24: "Stich", works by Peter Stichbury.
Toi O Tahuna Fine Art Gallery, Church Lane, Queenstown,until December 20: "Dunedin 3".
Sam Foley, David Teata and Fleur Yorston.
Tony Williams Gallery, 30 Moray Pl.
Until December 24: Exhibition of recent jewellery.
University of Otago, Special Collections, de Beer Gallery, Central Library, until December 12: "Nourishing the Roots".
