Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival 2023

Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival is a festival with a difference, one uniquely focused on inclusion, access and authenticity, and designed to use the arts to explore what it means to be of Te Tairāwhiti.

The opening of Te Ara i Whiti is in 10 days and we are thrilled to introduce the first of many TAIW artists Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole. ⁠
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Lissy Robinson-Cole (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu) and Rudi Robinson-Cole (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Makirangi, Ngāti Tu, Te Arawa) are a husband-and-wife team whose artworks explore mātauranga Māori and personal whakapapa through crocheted woollen sculpture, and neon lights. ⁠
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For Te Ara I Whiti 2023, this epic duo will translate their expertise and passion for crochet into the interactive sculptural artwork, Hiwa-i-te-rangi, a four-sided 6m tall Lightbox pou with feathers on two sides to represent the wishes, and ngutu kaka design on the other two to show how everyone is connected.⁠
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Head down to Te Ara I Whiti this festival season to witness all the beautiful Mahi Toi. ⁠
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🗓️ 29 September – 8 October, 12pm – 10pm ⁠
📍Kelvin Park, Corner Stout St & Fitzherbert St ⁠
🎟️ FREE ⁠

Meet the Artists

Tuakoi Ohia

Ella Carling

Nathan Mudge

Mīria George

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Become a member

We invite you to sign up to the Māori artists directory that we are creating so that our people can connect, collaborate and create together.

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Tutorials

Learn from our creative professionals throughout Aotearoa with short lessons to improve your skills in producing, arts marketing, grant writing and pitching opportunities.

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Panel Discussions

Panel sessions with our Māori creative whānau on how theatre and dance artists continue going forward through the challenges of the pandemic.

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