Celebrating 20 years of Britomart: Heritage, art, and community

Auckland’s waterfront nine-block precinct, known as Britomart, celebrates 20 years of regeneration.

The area features a mix of refurbished heritage buildings with nautical and commercial histories alongside modern low- and mid-rise developments, all connected by public spaces that attract regular use.

Tapping into the rich historical connection to the Pacific, a showcase of the “hottest talent in indigenous filmmaking” will take place on Friday night at Takutai Square, closing out a three-night outdoor cinema event.

Speaking on NiuFM’s The Morning Shack, Britomart’s Engagement Manager, Tia Sagapolutele, says she is committed to increasing the visibility of brown creatives.

“When I went into the role, I basically just said, look, I want more people like me in the space, and I'm going to do that, so if you want me, that's what you're going to get.”

Sagapolutele is a Pacific-contemporary multidisciplinary artist with a Master’s in Dance Studies from The University of Auckland.

With 13 years of experience in New Zealand’s arts sector, she co-founded the Pacific dance collective, TULOU, and is a co-leader of the arts community, Period7.

She also has governance experience with the Auckland Museum, Northern Dance Network, and The Basement Theatre and is currently on the Board of Trustees for Red Leap Theatre.

Watch the TULOU dance collective perform a snippet from their show TINĀ by TULOU, which was produced in partnership with the Kia Mau Festival and the Pacific Dance Festival (Wellington 2021).

Sagapolutele is passionate about growing an arts sector that values youth, culture, and Pacific involvement.

“Basically, we're making sure that I'm putting our people on, and I just want it to be a space where people feel like they can come, and it feels like home to them.”

For Friday night’s free screenings, Britomart is partnering with the Ōtaki Māoriland Film Festival, the world’s largest annual celebration of indigenous storytelling excellence, to showcase a series of short films by renowned indigenous cinema.

Starting at 7.30pm, the lineup includes Mahika Kai (2023), Aikāne (2023), Vakaraitaka (2022), Pasifika Drift (2023), Washday (1963), Standing Above the Clouds (2023), TheWesternGuide - Siva Mai (2024), The Voyager's Legacy (2022), Katele (Mudskipper) (2022).

Plenty of sitting space at Takutai Square. Photo/Britomart

Continuing their celebrations, Britomart has partnered with Auckland Council to host Music in Parks on Friday, 21 March.

The concert, named Takutai Live, will feature artists such as Kings, Ella Monnery, Brotherhood Musiq, Saxophone player Thabani Gapara, Stand Up Stand Out (SUSO) winner Jazmin Ugapo known as Juga, and Manurewa’s own En Passant.

For details about the set times for Takutai Live, visit here.

Māori|Sāmoan rapper, Kings. Photo/Britomart

Britomart offers multiple complimentary events, art exhibitions, and a variety of eateries. Explore more on Instagram or visit britomart.org.

Takutai Nights screenings are free and alcohol-free. Attendees are encouraged to visit Britomart’s food and drink establishments beforehand.

Bean bags will be available, and the Takutai Square lawn will provide space for picnics with rugs and cushions. Please do not use deck chairs with legs that might damage the lawn.