ARTS BEAT: WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK

1 Visual symphony

Walking tours, events and exhibitions—if you’ve ever wanted to look at public art in Auckland, visit private dealer galleries, see what happens at our community art centres or watch art-themed theatre, this is the week to do it. Auckland’ s annual Art week sees 100 venues across the region highlighting our always lively visual arts scene and, possibly because there’ s so much to see, it’s slightly longer than a week. See art week auckland for more.

2 Brightly coloured

It’ s an Art week event likely to shine long after the festival ends. A handful of the country’ s top artists—Andrew J. Steel, Flox, Jimmy James Kouratoras and Sam Mathers among t hem — have got together to look at new ways for artists to sell their work and give back at the same time. Via pop-up exhibitions and online, they’ ll give a percentage of all sales to not-for-profits and charities.

We Are Colours: group exhibition; Ponsonby Central, Sapphire Room, Friday-Sunday; today, from 9 am -6 pm, Flox and Jimmy James work outside Ponsonby Central, creating an original mural.

3 Fashion gets brainy

The New Zealand Fashion Museum and Northcote’s Blikfang Art and Antiques join forces fora show that addresses the power of clothes to express our values, ideas and emotions as well as its role as “daily armour” to face the world. More than 60 creative sf roma range of art forms have work on show. The Intellectual Fashion Show, Gus Fisher Gallery until November 5.

4 Ballet boy

It’ s one of the most talked-about shows in Auckland for years, possibly because it’s making history as the debut production at the new ASB Waterfront Theatre. It’s a musical based on an award-winning film, features music by Elton John, and is truly heart warming. Sparks fly when an 11- year-old boy discover she likes ballet more than boxing in Billy Elliot The Musical; Waterfront Theatre until Sunday, November 27.

5 Opera Royalty

Following a sold- out 2014 concert and a successful nationwide t our this year, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is back in town. Accompanied by pianist Terence Dennis, Dame Kiri will perform pieces from Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi, Puccini, Heggie and Canteloube, as well as a selection of traditional folk songs. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in Recital with Terence Dennis; Aotea Centre, Thursday.