With a litany of enthralling, thought-provoking, inspiring, chuckle-inducing events occurring over the coming four weeks, we figured it best to scour through the cultural calendar and collate the best of the bunch into one space — to save you the hassle. From art exhibitions to stand-up comedy shows and everything in between, here are 17 of the finest cultural offerings to indulge in this October.

Auckland Art Week

Auckland Art Week

Set to fan the creative flames of Aucklanders, via a litany of eclectic events, Artweek is back with a line up of galleries, private spaces and pop-ups playing host to some unprecedented, inspiring work. If you only have time to see one exhibition this year, we suggest you make it Emerging Fabrications by Holly Schroder. Showcasing her bold and saturated works via utterly compelling lighting and projection techniques, this Viaduct Harbour installation promises to impress both young and old.
For more information, click here. 
12th – 20th October

Natasha Wright: Angels & Icons

Natasha Wright: Angels & Icons

Renowned for her thought-provoking pieces, which often focus on the empowerment, representation and sexuality of women, Kiwi Natasha Wright is a painter that has become a feminist icon in the art world — both here and overseas, as she’s currently based in NYC. This month, Natasha will be returning home to showcase her latest exhibition Angels and Icons, a body of work which draws upon the history of art, paying homage to medieval painting and religious iconography. Showing at Parlour Projects in Hawke’s Bay, this is a fantastic opportunity to experience some ingenious homegrown talent. 
For more information, click here. 
October 5th – November 1st, Parlour Projects

Auckland Marathon

Auckland Marathon

Whether you are hitting the pavement yourself or merely hoping to show some enthusiastic support for this year’s runners, New Zealand’s biggest, most iconic running celebration, the Auckland Marathon, is a fine way to spend the afternoon of Sunday 20th. For those that aren;t running but want more involvement than simply cheering on the sidelines, the Auckland marathon team are always looking for volunteers to bring a dose of helpful energy to the event. If you’re interested in offering a helping hand, volunteer registration can be found here, otherwise, more information on the event can be found here. 
20th October

Listen In Auckland

Listen In Auckland

A fizzing juggernaut of a festival whose line up gets bigger and better every year, it’s no surprise that music lovers await the return of Listen In with seriously bated breath. The concentrated version of Australia’s Listen Out will again be blessing us with hip-hop and dance force majeures, with a line-up comprising Slowthai, 6LACK, Schoolboy Q and Diplo.
For more information and tickets, click here. 
4th October, Mt Smart Stadium

Metallica

Metallica

If you like your music loud and your mind blown by thumping riffs, then you might just want to pop down to Mt Smart Stadium to experience Metallica’s upcoming show. Almost ten years after their last New Zealand visit (in 2010) Metallica are returning to bring their head-banging heavy metal to Auckland — with the equally as legendary, heavy metal megastars Slipknot in tow. 
For more information and tickets, click here. 
31st October – 2nd November

Ostro Dinner and A Show

Ostro Dinner and A Show

Funny Bones, Ostro’s latest iteration of its widely regarded Dinner & A Show series, will see some of New Zealand’s funniest personalities (think Ben Hurley and Jeremy Elwood) take to the mic, while guests are invited to tuck into a delicious menu prepared by Executive Chef Josh Emett and Head Chef Josh Shields. Set to take place one Sunday of every month until October, this is the perfect way to round off the weekend.
For more information and tickets, click here. 
20th October, Ostro 

We Are Luminaries

We Are Luminaries

An endless source of fascination and beauty, there’s nothing quite like the allure of glass. Upcoming exhibition We Are Luminaries showcases delicate glassworks from an array of talented, contemporary artists who have mastered the challenging material. On show will be works from the likes of Ben Young, whose ocean-themed sculptures transform materials from robust to fragile, Tim Shaw, whose uniquely beautiful pieces play with transparency and colour, and Holly Grace, whose expert glass-blowing skills produce awe-inspiring, organic works of art.
For more information, click here. 
4th – 30th October, Black Door Gallery

Parris Goebel Presents GIRL

Parris Goebel Presents GIRL

She’s the homegrown dance prodigy whose talents have seen her choreograph moves for some of the biggest names in the biz — including Ciara, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Sam Smith. Now, Parris Goebel returns to her hometown of Auckland for GIRL, an intimate show that focuses on the female journey that promises to be fantastic and feisty in equal measure.
For more information and tickets, click here. 
11th – 12th October, Q Theatre

Dawn Philharmonia

Dawn Philharmonia

A glorious conglomeration of mime, contortion and high-flying acrobatics set against a backdrop of some sublimely evocative musical scores — think Mendelssohn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ and Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’ — make this partnership between Auckland’s leading circus company and its Philharmonic Orchestra one not to be missed.
For more information and tickets, click here. 
11th – 12th October, ASB Theatre

Show Me Shorts: Film Festival

Show Me Shorts: Film Festival

Comprising an array of cinematic talent from both local and international creatives, in what’s set to be its largest-ever programme to date, the acclaimed Show Me Shorts Film Festival is a must-do for lovers of film. This year’s program, boasting 60 short films and three music videos, spans a variety of genres, topics and styles, serving up everything from apocalypse-focused science fiction to thought-provoking true stories. 
For more information and tickets, click here. 
5th – 24th October

Hustlers

Hustlers

Hustlers, quite possibly the most hotly anticipated movie of the season, is here. We finally get to see J-Lo, Lili Reinhart, Constance Wu and Keke Palmer take on the roles of savvy strip club employees,  and watch them as they turn the tables on their Wall Street clients in order to escape the 2008 financial crisis. If the rave audience reviews are anything to go by, this one is going to be a scorcher. 
In cinemas from October 10th 

The Turn Of The Screw

The Turn Of The Screw

The New Zealand Opera retells one of the greatest ghost stories of all time in this hauntingly beautiful operatic depiction of Henry James’ famous novella, The Turn of The Screw. Theatre-goers will be chilled to the bone and completely enthralled in equal measure.
For more information and tickets, click here. 
3rd – 23rd October

Sculpture By The Sea

Sculpture By The Sea

The world’s largest free-to-the-public exhibition, Sydney’s Sculpture By The Sea, is back for another year with a blinding medley of weird and wonderful artworks. One hundred thought-provoking pieces will transform the beaches and rocky outcrops of the iconic Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, resulting in a breathtaking, two-kilometre-long sculpture park that will inspire and awe in equal measure.
For more information, click here. 
24th October-10th November

Toby Raine: Heroines and Heroin

Toby Raine: Heroines and Heroin

Toby Raine’s approach to art is incredibly distinctive. His unbridled creative passion sees lashings of paint strewn across the canvas via energetic strokes, bringing his inspiration — usually an image or a photograph — to life in a textured form. His upcoming solo exhibition at Gow Langsford Gallery, promises an array of abstract works that put Raine’s unparalleled talent on show.
For more information, click here.
2nd – 26th October, Gow Langsford Gallery

 

Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler

Funny, self-deprecating and notoriously brash, Chelsea Handler has earned her stripes in the comedy world by crossing the lines that most of us wouldnt dare approach. Mid October, Handler will be bringing her All-American, no holds barred riotous persona to Auckland in the form of a splendidly ostentatious stand-up show — one that’s not to be missed if you think you’re in need of a good laugh or two. 
For more information and tickets, click here.
9th October, Auckland Town Hall

American Idiot: The Musical

American Idiot: The Musical

Fans of pop-punk band Green Day will revel in this Tony Award-winning musical production. With American Idiot, attendees are invited to experience a visual take on the 2004 concept album of the same name — where they will follow the story of three suburban youths, Johnny, Will and Tunny, as they navigate youthful delusion and the mistrust of society and government in America. Expect fan favourites performed throughout, like Jesus Of Suburbia, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and, of course, smash hit American Idiot. 
For more information and tickets, click here.
10th-20th October, The Civic

Ann Shelton's Close To The Wind

Ann Shelton's Close To The Wind

An exhibition that invites guests to compare and contrast selected works by Ann Shelton and 19th-century historical vernacular photography, in order to identify and attend to certain omissions and presences, Ann Shelton’s Close To The Wind (a title that alludes to the idiom of ‘sailing too close to the wind’, where an individual and/or action is on the verge of doing something illegal or improper) makes for a riveting way to while away an afternoon.
For more information, click here. 
On now until 26th October