About the project

The Background

The 2026 NZEA New Zealand Event Awards Gala took place on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland. The black-tie gala brought together 480 event professionals as the grand finale to the two-day Eventing the Future conference

The Brief

NZEA engaged us for their New Zealand Event Awards Gala Dinner at the NZICC, requiring a red-carpet walkway and photography wall to serve two purposes: welcoming guests on arrival and providing a premium backdrop for award winners following each presentation.They also wanted a standalone bar that would prominently showcase the NZEA brand while creating a distinctive look and feel that complemented the evening’s décor.

The Solution

Using our custom space solutions AircladX, we delivered an 6m x 5m XPO6 bar with custom half walls and walk through, together with an AircladX XO custom walkway and photography wall. All printing and decoration were produced by AircladX, ensuring a fully integrated and consistent finish.

Both structures were packed in on the morning of the event and completely packed out that same evening, providing a highly efficient event solution with minimal disruption and inline with NZICC’s strict compliance.

The client was delighted with the result, as reflected in the images and testimonial below.

What we delivered

• Project Management
• Build & Production
• Pack In/Pack Down
• Logistics

"The AirClad-X structure was the standout feature of the NZEA New Zealand Event Awards Gala dinner, and it's easy to see why. The build quality was sleek, modern, and beautifully finished, and it created a stunning bar space that our 480 guests loved all night. The team was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. The final look exceeded our expectations and elevated the whole event."

Elaine Linnell, GM, NZEA