This month City Gallery Wellington welcomes back its after-hours event series for the first time since New Zealand's COVID-19 lockdown.

Tuatara Open Late sees the contemporary gallery's exhibition halls stay open later than usual for a curated program of art, music, film, talks, beer, wine and food. For the December edition, space in the gallery will be limited — visitors are encouraged to arrive early to avoid disappointment and pre-book for activations taking place throughout the night.

At 6pm, Tina Barton will discuss her new book 'Billy Apple®: Life/Work', which chronicles the pop-conceptual artist's 60-year career. Neon Dreams, a 1966 documentary on Apple's neons, will also screen.

At 7.15pm, writers Steve Braunias, Rajorshi Chakraborti, Freya Daly Sadgrove, Jordan Hamel, and Melissa Laing deliver Requiem for an Airport — in response to City Gallery's timely new exhibition about the airport: Terminal.

At 8.30pm, local sound artists Emma Bernard, Dugal McKinnon, Jim Murphy, Thomas Voyce, Sonya Waters and Jack Woodbury present Itinerarium. The live performance pays homage to Brian Eno's 'Music for Airports' and offers an auditory portal into Terminal.

Throughout the evening, visitors can enjoy DJ Dan Aikido and observe Simon Ingram's painting machine 'Monadic Device' make a new work. The cash bar will be pouring drops from Tuatara and Seresin Estate.

Image: Elias Rodriguez, City Gallery.