Affordable Art Exhibition

Nau mai, haere mai, ki Gizzy Local’s first ever Affordable Art Exhibition! 

Something special is hitting Gizzy Local in May - an art space for everyone! Somewhere you can exhibit and buy art without a huge budget or the pressure of a traditional gallery setting.

Running from the 22nd to the 24th, Gizzy Local’s inaugural Affordable Art Exhibition is all about making art accessible. Think prints, photography, small works and sculptures, all priced between $25-$250 so you can take something home that connects with you. All this without sacrificing the grocery shop, because let’s be real - life’s expensive right now!

That doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice things that bring us joy. Art has a way of doing that. It shifts a space, a mood, and becomes a part of accumulating memories.

Katy, coordinator of this exhibition, has a lifetimes collection of art that has come through friends and community acquaintances. “We have spent our lives around creative people, and it has been a privilege to swap and purchase pieces that have a connection deeper than face value. All of our pieces hold memories of people, places, opportunities and times in our lives. It is so rewarding to be able to support peoples’ practices while getting something beautiful to live with. Our walls are filled with art by our children, our friends, artists we admire, local finds, a painting by our neighbour, and pieces unearthed from unusual places. Our hallway has a series of nine portraits my partner found at a garage sale!” 

This kaupapa is a chance to support the incredible local creative community we have, while giving everyday humans with ‘cost-of-living’ budgets the chance to buy an art piece that speaks to them.

It’s no secret that the artistic culture in Tairāwhiti is off the charts. An often overlooked part of the process is having your art seen. Hanging art and it being viewed is as important for the artist as it is for the audience, making a moment for the transition from studio into everyday life.

Maria shares “The first piece of art I bought was from an exhibition my brother and his friends put on in their flats in Wellington when they were studying. A bunch of creatives wanting to make and share art with minimal budgets. I bought this face painted on a piece of canvas for $10. It is so compact and flexible, it has moved around the world with me. Since moving back to Aotearoa, it’s lived in a frame on my wall and, man, the stories it could tell.” 

Moving art out of the expensive sphere and into your living room is a crucial part of breaking down barriers between artists, their work, and the continued life of the art in the viewer’s lives. This is where the magic happens - when art becomes part of everyday life. 

By opening up an alternative, community-led space, where artists aren’t just exhibiting - they’re part of the experience, there will be opportunities to connect directly with the people viewing (and buying) the work. This show will be a co-creation, where artists can share the stories behind their work and contribute to the approachable vibe of the space. 

This is a call out for artists to submit their work to be shown. Gizzy Local will be accepting expressions of interest until 24th April. 

We’re looking for:

• Prints

• Small works

• Photography

• Sculpture

• Or anything you’d like to sell within the $25-$250 range

There is a $30 submission fee per artist, and a volunteer roster to staff the show and support the curation of the space. That’s right! No commission! You keep 100% of your sales.

Your time as an artist is important. The exhibition is open to all artists, but it is worth keeping your time in mind when creating your work. It is great if you are established and selling prints of your mahi at an accessible price. If you are an emerging artist sculpting the next Venus de Milo, maybe save that for another show and create something less time-consuming.

Steph Barnett knows well the ongoing impact art can have on both the buyer and the artist. She recalls “when I was about 16 I purchased my first ever original piece of art, a small pencil drawing of a dog for $20. I still have that piece and it still gives me the feeling of art being a portal into something unnamable but gloriously human and hopeful. Art inspires art and that dog represents an early inkling towards a future as an artist made possible by seeing others create (and sell) their work.”

Thanks to Gisborne District Council and Creative New Zealand’s CCS funding for helping to make this show possible. 

If you’re keen, email your expression of interest to marketing@gizzylocal.com with your contact details and info about what kind of work you want to show. You have until Friday the 24^th to put your name in the ring. 

Come along, bring a friend, and have a look. You never know, you might just find something to take home.