The Gallagher Academy of Peforming Arts
The Academy of Performing Arts offers versatile event spaces, including two main performance venues, a spacious foyer for art exhibitions, conferences, and corporate events.
The Academy of Performing Arts contains two primary performance venues, a concert chamber for 340 people and a playhouse theatre for up to 183.
It also contains a Dance Studio and Te Whare Tapere Iti, a room designed for kapa haka and other Maori and cultural performing arts. There is also a large foyer (Perry Foundation Foyer and Calder and Lawson Gallery) specifically designed to allow the public exhibition of art works and for conferences and corporate events - Academy Of Performing Arts Website.
Conference and Events
Book a room
The Academy is available for hire for a full range of arts events, conferences and social functions. To enquire about the availability and cost of hiring any of the Academy rooms, or for any other further information, please complete our enquiry form.
If dates and spaces are available we will forward you confirmation, anticipated costs and a hirers agreement.
Drawings and plans
Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber
Attractive Concert Venue
The Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber is the largest of the Academy’s five main venues. Its high ceiling, beautiful wall panels and wooden floors are designed specifically for acoustic chamber music and it has established a reputation nationally and internationally as one of the most intimate and acoustically satisfying concert halls in New Zealand.
With a capacity of 340 seats, 289 in front of the stage, the Concert Chamber is also an attractive venue for conferences, lectures and other performances.
Concert Chamber Foyer
Capacity 50-70
The Concert Chamber Foyer is situated on the ground floor of the Academy in front of the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber. Looking out over the University lake it is an ideal venue for executive lunches and smaller scale functions such as awards ceremonies and book launches.
Capacity varies according to layout and the nature of the function, but it can accommodate up to 50 for a dinner, and 60 - 70 for a cocktail-type event. PA System, lectern etc available on request.
Playhouse Theatre
Flexible, Multi-Use Venue
The Playhouse Theatre is a flexible, multi-use, flat floor theatre, ideal for a wide range of events including theatre and dance performances, small-scale musical productions, cabaret, live bands, fashion shows, academic and corporate conferences, formal dinners, weddings and business expos.
This venue can accommodate multiple seating configurations including 181 tiered seats (or up to 341 with additional flat floor seating), 180 seats at round tables or 240 seats in banquet style.
Te Whare Tāpere Iti
Floor to Ceiling Windows with Native Bush and Lake Views
Te Whare Tāpere Iti is an open floor studio space with beautiful native bush and lake views through its 5 metre high ceiling-to-floor windows.
The most intimate of the Academy venues it is designed primarily as a dance studio with a sprung floor for Māori performing arts and dance, but also serves as a unique formal dining and cocktail venue, particularly suited to wedding receptions or social functions for up to 150 people (depending on function and venue configuration).
Fully equipped with a theatre lighting rig and PA system it can also host a wide range of public presentations, seminars, meetings and workshops.
Dance Studio
Professional Dance Studio
The Dance Studio is an open studio space with a sprung floor, mirror wall and dance barre. Primarily designed for dance rehearsal it also contains a lighting grid and black curtains on tracks to enable small-scale dance and theatre performances, with a maximum capacity of 120, depending on configuration.
Perry Foundation Playhouse Foyer
Capacity up to 100
The Perry Foundation Playhouse Foyer is situated on the ground floor of the Academy in front of the Playhouse Theatre. Looking out over the University lake it is the largest of the Academy's foyer areas, and includes a raised stage area for speakers, musicians, displays etc. PA System, lectern etc available on request. Capacity up to 100 for a cocktail-type event.
Upstairs Lounge
The Upstairs Lounge is situated on the first floor of the Academy and looks out over the tree-lined University campus lake.
It is an ideal executive venue for a wide range of events such as seminars, workshops, cocktail functions and dinners, and is custom-fitted with its own AV projection, sound system, bar, and kitchen facilities. Capacity varies according to layout, but it accommodates up to 40 for a dinner, and we recommend 50 max for a cocktail-type event.
Lake Stage
120 Seats
The Lake Stage (120 seats) is a spectacular open-air circular stage extending over the university lake with an arc of amphitheatre seating. Situated in front of the Telecom Playhouse it is particularly attractive for use in the summer months and can support theatre, dance and musical performances, as well as private functions and dining.
Subscribe to our mailing list
If you would like to receive emails from us with news about concerts and shows at the Academy please enter your details below.
The Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts (Academy) is committed to protecting your privacy.
Why are we collecting your information?
Your contact information is collected and held by the Academy. It will be used only to send you information and occasional surveys about events at the Academy.
We will not...
...sell, trade or rent your personal information to others without obtaining your consent, unless required to do so by law.
You are entitled to ...
...have access and/or request corrections to your information given.
To unsubscribe ...
If you do not wish to receive email from us in the future, please send an email with your name and email address to academy@waikato.ac.nz or phone +64 07 858 5100.