Auckland Museum's After-Hours Talk Series Returns for 2017

More than just a repository for old things, every year Auckland Museum looks to the future with an after-hours series of thought provoking panel discussions and engaging live performances.

LATE at the Museum will return for its tenth season on the second Wednesday of every month from August to November. The series is known for creating dialogue around delicate and important issues, and this year's run will be no different. Questions posed in LATE 2017 include: What does a "real New Zealander" look like? Who are our allies in a post-Trump world? How do we confront our privilege when we can't see it? Are we still a country prepared to stand up for our values?

Home Sweet Home? A Question of Immigration is the first of this year's four LATE events. Held on Wednesday 9 August, the panel discussion will look at the hot topic of immigration in New Zealand, separating the facts from myths about migrants, and discussing the pros and cons of our current levels of immigration.

Led by RNZ broadcaster Noelle McCarthy, the panel will include filmmaker Roseanne Liang, writer and broadcaster Ali Ikram, researcher and Maori spokesperson for Migrants and Refugee Rights Campaign Dr Arama Rata, and Massey University's Professor Paul Spoonley, who is currently heading a research program looking at the impacts of immigration and diversity.

Alongside the panel discussion, the stars of webseries Friday Night Bites will recreate one of their episodes as a live performance and share another scene on the Museum's big screen.

The rest of the 2017 LATE series tackles issues that New Zealand is grappling with on both personal and political levels: interrogating our global political values, examining personal privilege and exploring issues of diversity in the local music scene.

LATE at the Museum will take place on August 9, September 13, October 11 and November 8. Tickets and more info from aucklandmuseum.com.