This November, Art in the Park visitors will not only discover thousands of works across Eden Park but also hear directly from the artists and specialists shaping New Zealand’s creative landscape.

From conversations with emerging talents to specialist talks led by academics and industry leaders, the programme gives audiences a chance to connect more deeply with art and the people who create it.

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Friday 13 November

1pm - Morgan Paige Taitoko: Explore the ideas and processes behind Morgan Paige Taitoko’s distinctive exploration of nature, distortion and perception.

2pm - Madeleine Harvey | Seen and Unseen: Women Artists in the Collection: From celebrated names to overlooked voices, this talk explores the vital contributions of women artists within the University of Auckland Art Collection, across sixty-five years of local art history.

3pm - Pete Cernis: How neurodivergence evaporates the walls of mental imagery, allowing a sensing artist to navigate the canvas like migrating birds.

4pm - Anna Tang: Anna is a paint carving artist whose artwork embodies a sense of beauty and peace, exploring arrangements of urban nature.

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Saturday 14 November

11am - Abstract Art Artist Panel Discussion: Hosted by Art in the Park Planner, Curator and Artist, Linda McFetridge. Linda is also a performance director and independent Curator for private collections. Featuring Paul Darragh, Pam Wildbore, Kate McLeod and Logan Bow.

12pm - Dr Natalie Bell | How to Look at an Artwork: What happens when you stop and look closely at an artwork? This talk will consider strategies for looking at art and making meaning from what we find.

1pm - Ingrid Boot: Ingrid Boot will share the inspiration, stories and creative process behind the works in her latest series, ‘Socialite Society’.

2pm - Dr Jeremy Mayall | Artistic Creativity for Everyday Health: Dr Jeremy Mayall, CEO, Creative Waikato, explores how a little bit of creativity every day can create health benefits that weave throughout our lives. This talk will look at examples of the impact of creativity and how daily artistic activities support a thriving community.

3pm - Tim Christie | From Brief to Belief: My journey from designer to artist.

4pm Reuben Lauridsen | Drawing with Robots? Come and discover how maths and drawing machines can turn simple ideas into artworks filled with unexpected beauty, movement and pattern.

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Sunday 15 November

11am - Mandy Williams: Learn about Mandy’s 20+ year art career and the bodies of work that have unfolded over the years. From family commissions, native birds and moody figures to sexy tennis players! Mandy’s latest body of work, ‘Modern Nostalgia’, is a take on the nostalgic 60s and 70s with a modern twist, inspired by her love for interior design and beautiful, timeless design.

12pm - Associate Professor Dr Caroline Vercoe | More Than Meets the Eye: Decoding Contemporary Pacific Art: Discover how Yuki Kihara’s Paradise Camp and Darwin Drag, and Latai Taumoepeau’s powerful performance practice reframe historical representations of the Pacific to confront urgent contemporary realities like climate change and representation.

1pm - SWEATS: Come jump inside the process — pushing play on ideas, following instinct through experimentation, moving across mediums and all the mess in between.

2pm - Jen Sievers: What happens when you follow your curiosity beyond the boundaries of what you know? Join artist Jen Sievers as she shares how curiosity, creative courage and a willingness to break her own rules have taken her art (quite literally!) beyond the canvas.

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