Te Ara i Whiti | Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival

In 2024 Te Ara i Whiti brings together an outstanding group of artists from across Aotearoa and the Pacific who are creating artworks that speak primarily of aroha, kotahitanga and hope for a generous and empowered shared future for our mokopuna. The exhibition opens on Friday 4 October at 5pm. Then, through Sunday 13 October, you're welcome to explore Te Ara i Whiti from 12pm - 10pm.

Te Ara i Whiti is an interactive visual arts experience primarily composed of illuminated installations and sculptural works that celebrate contemporary design and connections to place. In 2024, TTAF welcome Melanie Tangaere Baldwin back as curator with collaboration and support from globally acclaimed lighting designer, Angus Muir.

Now in its sixth year, Te Ara i Whiti has grown significantly in scale and intent, with a diverse range of artistic disciplines and styles breathing life and wonderment into the experience of sculpture. Te Ara i Whiti has become an exhibition of significance on the national arts calendar, continually showing new works by some of Aotearoa’s most celebrated artists.

“As curator of Te Ara I Whiti , I am interested in delivering an experience for our community. As an artist, I want that experience to be of the highest standard we can achieve. I want to create a place of imagining, contemplation and transition – using light, form, sound and space to create a momentary and unique other world – One that exists differently by day and night and moves between high energy and quiet contemplation, sound and silence, neon, sparkle and darkness, hardness and grace.” – Melanie Tangaere Baldwin

Exhibiting Artists include Ngaroma Riley, Etanah Lalau-Talapa, Rihari Campbell Collier, Talia Smith, Jade Townsend, Erena Koopu, Ngaumutane Jones, Renee McDonald, Sione Monu, and Melanie Tangaere Baldwin.

Free and open to the public from 5pm-10pm on opening night and then 12pm-10pm for the remainder of the exhibition. Find more info about Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival here.