Funded by the European Union to the tune of $140 million, a deft bit of reinvention has turned France's drug and crime epicentre into the nation's Capital of Culture. Jenna Hand goes along for the ride.

Tauranga Art Gallery has come under fire for displaying two photos that feature coarsely worded messages scrawled in ballpoint beside images of a 1974 gay liberation dance.

The memories have come flooding back for three Korean War veterans before the opening of a special photo exhibition that features 150 images taken by Kiwi soldiers.

The layered, colourful and feminine works of artist Emma Wright represent the "unpredictability" of life.

Bill Culbert, New Zealand's artist for the 2013 Venice Biennale.

A spiritual home is slowly taking shape on a Northland coastal block in the hands of a Maori sculptor and his wife.

My happy place is my conservation studio at the Auckland Art Gallery.

Three Asian artists draw on their heritage to create contemporary works with meaning.

Have beauty pageants lost their allure?

Danielle Wright finds Wellington alive with art events, food and popular culture this winter.

Patua means "to hit, kill, subdue, ill-treat", and writer-director Renae Maihi bravely takes on the subject of child abuse in the 75 nicely paced minutes of this, her second play.

Dick Frizzell believes he lost more than $100,000 as the official artist of the Rugby World Cup. He's not bitter, but says it's the worst investment decision he's made.

The biggest game in town is Michael Parekowhai et al at Michael Lett. It combines the talents of an artist and a collective.