LATE at the Museum feat. An Emerald City

This year's season of LATE at the Museum events welcomes a year-long investigation into the theme of innovation – featuring panel discussions with this country’s leading innovators and music by our top performers.

Smart Talk: Finlay Macdonald / Ray Avery / Dr Helen Anderson
Great Music: An Emerald City / Mana Maoli Collective / DJ Stinky Jim

The LATE Innovate series begins in March with LATE 01, which investigates the way science drives the economy and underpins our everyday life. The panel will discuss how science has helped grow our nation, from early ‘Number Eight Wire’ innovations in agriculture, through to atom-splitting and current biotechnology projects. It will then turn its attention toward where the next real innovation is needed, communicating a greater understanding and passion for science throughout New Zealand.

The panel features Dr Helen Anderson alongside inventor, social entrepreneur and ‘New Zealander of the Year’, Ray Avery.

Dr Helen Anderson is chief executive of The Ministry of Research Science and Technology. She sees her role as helping research, science and technology improve New Zealand. Helen has played a central role in determining high level science priorities, enhancing New Zealand's research infrastructure, and encouraging greater private sector research and development.

Ray Avery was recently announced as ‘New Zealander of the Year’ by Prime Minister John Key, recognising his contribution to the nation through science and technology. Avery is the founder of independent development agency Medicine Mondiale, which creates low-cost solutions to health issues in the developing world. He’s also a strong believer in Kiwi ingenuity, and devotes much of his energy to helping New Zealand realise it’s a ‘country of geniuses’.

Music on the evening features Auckland band An Emerald City, the Mana Maoli Collective of Hawaiian performers, and the legendary DJ Stinky Jim.

Forming in late 2005 this New Zealand six-piece, An Emerald City has created a sound that combines Eastern traditional instruments and psychedelic leanings with experimentation and musical liberation. An Emerald City have gathered a rabid following from those who thirst for music that pushes boundaries and experiments with sounds very rarely created. Their debut EP of 2008 featured bNet radio favourites Qing Song and A Question and the band’s reputation grew further in 2009 after the release of debut album Circa Scaria which was recorded in the great cave of Whatipu amongst the black sand of Auckland’s isolated west coast.They have begun to make their mark amongst the lively streets, smoky dens and grassy parks of Berlin and return mid 2010 after a summer of touring New Zealand and creating new music.