British Council New Zealand

29/05/2026

Martino Gamper's Endgrained at Objectspace, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is unlike any exhibition we've seen for a while. The renowned British Italian designer has transformed the gallery into a living social space, centred on a new body of furniture made from a human-made timber he developed with Italian company ALPI, produced from the waste stream of industrial veneer production. Visitors are invited to dwell, meet, play, and even book the space for their own use, with the furniture shifting configuration as the exhibition evolves.

As part of a rich public programme we've been proud to support, dancer Xin Ji and musician Alistair Deverick recently performed a sold-out evening of movement and live music among Gamper's work, drawing on years of creative collaboration to let something spontaneous and immediate unfold in the room.

Endgrained closes in Auckland this Sunday 31 May before travelling to Ōtautahi Christchurch.

📸 Photos by David St George

Natasha Beckman

26/05/2026

Studying in the UK is an experience that goes far beyond the classroom.

From vibrant cities and diverse campuses to meeting people from around the world, student life in the UK is about discovering who you are while building your future.

✔ A truly multicultural environment
✔ Experiences that build confidence and independence
✔ Memories and friendships that last a lifetime

It’s not just where you study — it’s how you grow.

👉 Start your Study UK journey today. https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/?utm_source=0&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cehighereducation-postgraduates-studyuk-sa

25/05/2026

📖 Dreaming of studying in the UK? Start with the essentials!

Our Study UK guidebook walks you through applications, funding options, campus life and everything in between.

✨ Get your FREE download now! https://www.britishcouncil.sg/study-uk?&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cehighereducation-alla-studyuk-ea

22/05/2026

Did you study with a UK university, and are now looking to crack the UK job market? Join our free webinar:

Succeed in the UK Job Market
📅 28.05.2026 | 12:00–13:00 BST
📍 Online
👉 Register here: https://ow.ly/P9gA50Z0HwC

The UK is one of the most sought-after career destinations for international students and graduates. This webinar will cover:

⭐ Overview of the UK job market and growth sectors
⭐ Graduate Route vs Skilled Worker visa options
⭐ Skills in demand and where international graduates work
⭐ Strategies to attract employer sponsorship
⭐ Networking, applications, and alumni success stories

This session will equip you with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence needed to navigate the UK job market as an international candidate. Whether you are just starting to explore your options or actively applying for roles, you’ll gain valuable insights to help you stand out and secure opportunities in the UK.

This is part of Alumni UK's regional focus career series - providing targeted insights into key global job markets for international students and graduates.

22/05/2026

Aotearoa New Zealand took centre stage at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton earlier this month, as Lead Country Partner for the festival's 20th anniversary.
One of the UK's leading festivals for new and emerging music, The Great Escape brings together 450+ artists and thousands of music industry professionals from across the globe each year.
British Council New Zealand and the Pacific is proud to have supported this landmark partnership between Live Nation and the New Zealand Music Commission, alongside the New Zealand government’s Ministry of Culture and Heritage, which brought 11 New Zealand acts to the official delegation, spanning diverse genres and cultural backgrounds.
It was wonderful to see alumni from the APRA AMCOS UK-NZ Songhubs programme that we supported among the delegation, including Muroki, Jude Kelly and WHO SHOT SCOTT, a testament to the lasting impact of these artist development pathways.
The festival's Far Out panel on building a global music career from the "end of the earth" was a powerful reminder of the ambition and reach of artists from Aotearoa.
Connecting the UK and New Zealand music industries is central to our kaupapa, and The Great Escape was a brilliant example of what that looks like on the world stage.

📷 1: British Council New Zealand and the Pacific Director Natasha Beckman
📷 2: Spotted on Brighton's famous pebbles
📷 3: Natasha Beckman with Greg Bonnett, Chair of the NZ Music Commission

The Great Escape Festival
NZ Music Commission
Live Nation New Zealand
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Natasha Beckman

19/05/2026

The UK is one of the most popular study destinations in the world and each year over 700,000 international students choose to study in the UK.

Want to join them? 🎓
Discover more about studying in the UK, visit our website today: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/why-study?utm_source=fbtwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cehighereducation-alla-studyuk-ea

15/05/2026

Join a global community of enthusiastic educators and learners as we share a discuss impactful educational practices towards futures for our planet. 🌍💚🌱Explore how to address global challenges

Learn for free now: https://ow.ly/WXWE50YZnNx

14/05/2026

What if a seat could endure for the next 1,000 years?
‘Interlude’, the first New Zealand commission from British architecture practice Nebbia, has just been unveiled at Jardine Park on the shores of Lake Whakatipu in Tāhuna Queenstown. It is part of Paererewā, a national programme led by STILL, to place 1,000 public objects across Aotearoa New Zealand. Nebbia was introduced to us by our UK-based Architecture, Design and Fashion team.
‘Interlude’ was carved from South Island blue stone chosen for its longevity.
Not a monument to look at, but a place to inhabit.
"We have always passed knowledge down this way, person to person, generation to generation, in places that feel significant enough to warrant it. The stone might last a thousand years. The stories it sets in motion might last considerably longer." Madhav Kidao and Brando Posocco, co-founders of Nebbia.
Also a memorial to revered local philanthropist Sir Eion Edgar, co-commissioned by Hamish Edgar, Co-Chair of The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi.
If you're visiting Tāhuna Queenstown, take some time with Interlude at Jardine Park. Congratulations to the many people behind this kaupapa.

📷 1 - Kīngi Makoare (Ngati Whatua Orakei), British Council New Zealand and Pacific PR Consultant Andrea Hammond, British Council New Zealand and the Pacific Director Natasha Beckman.
📷 2 - Mayor of Queenstown-Lakes District John Glover with British Council New Zealand and the Pacific Director Natasha Beckman.
📷 3 - Brando Posocco from Nebbia with British Council New Zealand and the Pacific Director Natasha Beckman.
Natasha Beckman

13/05/2026

This week marks the opening of the 61st International Venice Art Biennale. This year in the British Pavilion is Lubaina Himid's exhibition 'Predicting History: Testing Translation'.

The installation questions what it means to inhabit space not built for you; to assert one’s presence in a world where some move freely and can easily blend in, while others become hypervisible and register as ‘out of place’.

This year's exhibition opens 9 May to 22 November 2026.
https://venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cearts-alla-venart-global

05/05/2026

We're proud to support British author Josh Silver at this year's Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki.
Josh Silver is a YA (young adult) author, youth mental health nurse and former actor whose work dives into dystopian fiction and the vital conversations around neurodiversity and mental health. He'll be joining the stage for two events this May alongside Canadian YA writer David A. Robertson and Aotearoa author Karina McHardy.
He's part of Plot Twist -- the festival's exciting new programme taking over Q Theatre on 17 May, billed as the festival's "cool cousin." The line-up speaks for itself -- with Tusiata Avia (one of Aotearoa's most celebrated poets), RF Kuang (bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface), Nikita Gill (poet and bestselling author), Rachel Smythe (creator of the beloved Lore Olympus graphic novel series), Mieko Kawakami (award-winning Japanese novelist) and Bora Chung (Korean speculative fiction star) all making appearances across a day of sessions that bend genres, break rules and surprise at every turn.
Read all about it in The Spinoff: https://thespinoff.co.nz/partner/21-04-2026/a-twist-in-the-tale-introducing-auckland-writers-festivals-cool-cousin
Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki runs 12--17 May. Tickets and info

Pic via

A smorgasbord of literary live events – plus DJs, dining, book stalls and more – is set to take over Q Theatre next month.