Projects funded
Explore projects from Jul 2022 - Jun 2023 supported by Arts Out East.
BROWNALFA: Pacific Frequencies, Mahu An Audio Exhibition
Pacific Frequencies
Exhibition opening: Sunday 09 July
‘Pacific Frequencies’ is an interactive audio-visual exhibition that uses the concept of radio and sonic storytelling to explore the human experience, particularly the Urban, Polynesian, and Indigenous experience in Tāmaki Makaurau.
‘Mahu’ is a channel of Pacific Frequencies that explores grieving and healing from what one perceives as ‘home’. One might consider home the brick bones of a dwelling place, in this case, home can be identified as a place, person or structure. You may look at Mahu as if it were a station on the radio you have tuned into. And with each segment, you begin to understand the stories and experiences of grief, and offering what it looks like to heal, in all its non-linear, nostalgic, and sonic forms.
Pacific Frequencies: Mahu, is a collaborative project that connects the stories of home between the generations of East and South Auckland communities. Four storytellers with Māori/Polynesian whakapapa record a spoken word or oral retelling to build a world of related sounds, noise, and frequencies with members of production collective BRŌWNALFĀ.
Production collective:
BRŌWNALFĀ
An all-Wāhine film production collective that focuses on story sovereignty and aims to elevate and support the works of upcoming Brown artists.
Trina Lealavaa-Ama | Nofoali’I | Leulumoega | Mata ‘utu Tai.
Founder of BRŌWNALFĀ. Proud Samoan and South Auckland born and raised filmmaker. With her Master of Creative practices, majoring in editing and directing, her work has gone on to screen at many national and international film festivals. Such as, NZ international film festival, Pacifica Film Fest, Rochefort Pacifique Film Festival. She has also been featured in Cairns Art Gallery’s ‘Ritual – the past in the present’ exhibition (2021). Trina is our co-director, lead editor and storyteller for this project.
Roimata Prendergast | Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Tara | Mauke, Kimianagatau | Ra’iatea.
Roimata is a proud Māori, Kuki Airani and Tahitian artist born and raised in Māngere and now residing in Flatbush, East Auckland. Is member to South Auckland Poets Collective and BRŌWNALFĀ. Has participated as both a winner and mentor for the inter Highschool Spoken word competition Word the front line. She has participated as a performer and co-writer in many events, both within Aotearoa and internationally. Roimata is our Producer, co-editor, and storyteller for this project.
Sally Ama | Nofoali’I | Leulumoega | Mata ‘utu Tai.
Sally is Samoan and Māngere, South Auckland born and raised community navigator and artist. Member of BRŌWNALFĀ and developed many Behind the scenes and promotional material. Completing her final years at Unitec in Architecture and design, she is also a self-made Tattoo Artist. Sally will be our Set designer/coordinator, co-editor, and storyteller for this project.
This project will travel between two locations and can be viewed at:
Howick Historical Village: 08 July to 05 August *Entry fee will occur
Highland Park Library: 07 August to 04 September
In collaboration with Howick Historical Village and produced by BRŌWNALFĀ Production company
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Matariki exhibition
Matariki exhibition
The local creation of taonga (treasured possession) is something we have always valued, as well as the Māori artists behind the works and sharing that with the community. We all have something to gain when connected to the values embedded in a Te Ao Māori framework.
O Wairoa Marae and Te Tuhi will host a collaborative Matariki Festival on the grounds of the Marae. To highlight the cultural significance of this site, a pop-up exhibition will be installed in Fencible Park, Howick, to encourage foot traffic from those visiting the main street of Howick to the Marae. The pop-up exhibition will display work by two local Māori creatives. Maha (Waikato Tainui, Rangitane, Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Toa, Ngai Tahu descent) from Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving Assoc (East Tamaki) and Paia Terepo-Swanson (Ngā Puhi) a local weaver, storyteller and creative. Photographs depict Māori skills, excellence and different forms of Māori taonga.
In it’s broadest sense, this exhibition is an invitation for locals to reengage with the indigenous culture, through it’s taonga and the principles that support the artists collaborative practices.
Exhibition Opening: Saturday 17 June at 9am (Fencible walk in Howick Village)
This was is Arts Out East project in collaboration with Howick Village Association. Supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Catherine Guevara & Juliana Duran: A place worth visiting
A place worth visiting!
The "dairy experience" is something both Catherine Guevara and Juliana Duran can relate to as migrants in Aotearoa. There is a normalcy in entering these spaces who are generally owned by other migrants. Often, you can see two or more family members arranging the shelves or behind the counter. An immediate bond forms when we recognise their migration story in ours.
From the counter, they witness the space changing and the kids growing up. They are storytellers, sharing glimpses into their lives and the bonds created with the community.
Back home, la tienda (the Colombian dairy) symbolises the familiarity of permanence. They are spaces of exchange, where oral interaction is short but meaningful. Although there will be no comparisons between one diary with another, the Colombian artists want to rescue the nostalgia of the space and the recognition of its main characters.
The artists interviewed dairy owners in East Auckland and got to know their stories. What the owners shared inform the artwork created. The ceramic works made were intervened with carving. The final artwork was displayed as an exhibition that honoured all the past decisions and appreciated the present placement of the families and their stores. The works were gifted back to the business owners and shared within their stores to generate these discussions with local customers.
It is important for Cath and Juliana to commemorate the resilience and perseverance of their journeys, as it is essential to celebrate the diversity Aotearoa has to offer.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Art of Conversation
Art of Conversation
Arts Out East were proud to present a series highlighting artists that share connections to the East Auckland area. Each invited artist talked to their work and their practice in their favourite local café. This free series aimed to break the formal nature of artist talks and support local business. All we asked was that the audience bought a hot or cold drink to support the chosen local business. Think good vibes, great art chat and supporting local with a nice beverage. This ran throughout the month of May 2023.
Morena Cafe, Botany with Wendy Hannah
Te Tuhi Cafe, Pakuranga with Wei-Hsin Kuo
Ara Tai Cafe, Halfmoon Bay with Ramon Robertson
Khaos, Howick, Book Here with Greta Umbers
The Burbs, Farmcove with Toni Mosley
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Open callout: Chorus Box
Open callout: Chorus Box
Imagine your artwork being showcased on a Chorus cabinet!
We are proud to be working alongside Business East Tāmaki and The Beautification Trust and we are accepting Expressions of Interest for the painting of a Chorus box on Kerwyn Avenue and Ra Ora Drive.
We are looking for local creatives, group, school or young person to submit a design that celebrates the local area. This is an opportunity to use the chorus cabinet as a canvas and showcase your work to the local community. The artwork will be viewed by thousands of pedestrians, cyclists and road-users during its lifetime, so why not submit your designs and help beautify your local area and get paid to do so!
Local creative Kate Hindson did just that for a Howick Chorus box located on Union Road. Let her work inspire you!
The artwork should celebrates the local area and inspire pride in our community.
Apply by completing the Expression Of Interest and email it to artsouteast@tetuhi.art - deadline is by July 30th 2023.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi, Howick Local Board, Business East Tamaki and the Beautification Trust
Dreamscape Wall
Dreamscape WALL
Te Tuhi, Arts Out East and Botany Town Centre are excited to present the Dreamscape Wall at Botany Town Centre. Born during lockdown, Dreamscape was an invitation from Te Tuhi and Arts Out East, to tamariki and rangatahi from East Auckland schools (primary and secondary), to design a collage and send in a photo of it. With more than 70 collages featured in a permanent revolving online exhibition, we are delighted that a selection of these will now be seen in real life in the special Dreamscape Wall in The Lane at Botany Town Centre.
To celebrate this exhibition and the creativity of East Auckland, each month, Botany Town Centre are offering a $100 Gift Card, as a prize draw. To enter, just visit the Dreamscape Wall, chose your favourite collage, take a selfie beside it, post it to Instagram tagging @botanytowncentre @tetuhiart and @artsouteast and you will automatically be in the draw to win!
Dreamscape Wall is part of the newest amenity at Botany Town Centre, a beautiful space in The Lane, where shoppers and visitors can relax and recharge. Sink into the comfortable sofas, grab a book from the community book exchange, watch the kids play in the soft-play area, or catch up on emails or after-school work at one of the big tables – and enjoy the Dreamscape Wall.
The schools that participated in the Dreamscape project include Sancta Maria College, Saint Kentigerns College, Howick Intermediate, Botany Downs Secondary College.
This was an Arts Out East Te Tuhi, Botany Town Centre project supported by Howick Local Board
Daisy Nicholas: Environmental Cyanotype beach art workshop
Environmental Cyanotype beach art workshop
What a gorgeous day we had down at Mellon’s Bay Beach creating with contemporary artist Daisy Nicholas.
The community came together to be part of the cyanotype artwork and support Daisy with her vision. The public, young and old, began collecting items from the beach, and placing them down on the 10m long piece of fabric. Items such as seaweed, sticks and even a crayfish head were found. We watched as the work developed and transformed into a sea of colour, texture, and pattern.
The final work was a documentation of a time and place using a cyanotype printing process and the community were a part of the making.
You will see the work displayed shortly in the community!
Follow Daisy Nicholas Instagram
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Celebrating Cultures: Moon Festival Exhibition
Moon Festival Exhibition
We joined the annual Cultural Festival at Sir Barry Curtis Park on Saturday 25 March, and the Howick Food Festival on the 3 March to showcase images from the project ‘Over the Moon’ created by Rosa Chow from Inclusionz Charitable Trust.
The exhibition features photographs by Julie Zhu, she captured various creatives and cultural groups sharing how they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. (Also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival) through song, dance, art, and food.
On the day, the public scanned a QR code to read stories by Kitty Chang about each participant(s) while viewing the photography's on display.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Korean Positive Ageing: Make cheongsachorong
Make cheongsachorong
Korean Positive Ageing Charitable Trust are a local cultural organisation that acts as a support network, for the Korean community in East Auckland (and wider Auckland area). Made up of qualified and skilled volunteers, they provide a range of activities, meetings, events, workshops, and opportunities for those who face daily challenges, particularly for older members and their families and to connect with their existing local communities.
Yongrahn is the founder of KPACT and she created a workshop inspired by Cheongsachorong. "Chorong" is a traditional silk lantern which represent ying and yang through the joining of two materials, a metaphor for bringing communities together.
This beautiful session was inspiring, bring the community together to learn and connect with the many talented Korean women involved in this project. Needlework skills were taught to create the cultural silk lantern so you could create your own.
To learn more about KPACT Facebook
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Ashley Zhou and Jack Li : Dance Around East Auckland Gems
Dance Around East Auckland Gems
Creatives Ashley and Jack are passionate about the importance of being outdoors as a means to improve the balance of mind and body, physically, mentally and spiritually.
Filmed by Jack, a video montage showcased Ashley performing movements inspired by Chinese dance, in various local landmarks in East Auckland. They hoped this piece would encourage and inspire the public to get outdoors, to improve their well-being, while celebrating East Auckland.
The film was shown during Lunar celebrations in Pakuranga, Botany, Howick and Highland Park Libraries.
Follow them behind the scenes YouTube, Instagram
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Kotahitanga: Te Kakahu o Te Tuhi
Kotahitanga: Te Kakahu o Te Tuhi.
The Kakahu Kotahitanga is about Unity, this was the theme for Matariki 2022. Our Kakahu was a moemoea (vision) from the Whakatauki (proverb) “Ma te Kotahitanga, e wai kaha tatau” which translates as “in unity, we have strength”.
Te haerenga o te kakahu o Kotahitanga – The journey of Kotahitanga
Kotahitanga is a special taonga that has been woven to celebrate and acknowledge the relationship of Te Tuhi within the hapori (community) and Te Whare o O Wairoa. Kotahitanga is the Teina (younger sibling) to her Tuakana Tūrangawaewae at Pakuranga Library.
The making of Te Kakahu o Te Tuhi was displayed alongside Marilyn Bakker’s second display of her Project Reflections on the Pakuranga Creek also at Pakuranga Library.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Lucie Blaze: Skate Out East
Skate Out East
This project empowered young people to be creative through skate culture!
Artist Lucie Blaze and Boardertown Skate & Snow business at Botany Town Centre joined forces to deliver a weekend of skate culture. Lucie worked with the young people to create and design their very own skate board, helping to spark their imagination and bring their ideas to life.
The following day our young people headed to Sir Barry Curtis Park to build and ride their boards with the support of locals Iggy and Dylan who are part of the Boardertown family.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Inclusionz Charitable Trust: Over the moon
Moon Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival) is celebrated by Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other East and Southeast Asian communities. Arts Out East met with various creatives and cultural community groups who shared how they celebrate this time of year and what it means to them through song, dance, art or food.
Capturing these beautiful moments and sharing their cultural stories about the moon, was photographer Julie Zhu and local writer Kitty Chang.
The stories will be exhibited later in the year.
Howick Spinners
Howick Spinners
From 11am to 1pm, the Howick Spinners took over Ormiston Shopping Centre. Members of the group demonstrated their skills and craft, from turning wool to yarn.
Many members of the public came to the experience, even getting to give the wheel a go themselves! It was wonderful to see lots of intergeneration learning going on.
Their creations with the yarn, were also on display to see the creative potential with yarn.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
HYC Visual Art Showcase 2022
HYC Visual Art Showcase 2022
Howick Youth Council’s annual youth art exhibition.
The East Auckland Visual Art Showcase 2023 was an exhibition of works by young aspiring artists (aged 12 - 22) living in the local area. Brought to you by Howick Youth Council, this event enabled youth to connect with each other through art and to celebrate their achievements as one.
With over 120 submissions, the exhibition saw over 80 artworks on display, with multiple awards distributed and judged by James Taspel-Kururangi and Louise Stevenson.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi, the Howick Local Board, Uxbridge Arts & Culture and Auckland Creative Communities Scheme.
FB: @HowickYouthCouncil | IG: @howickyouthcouncil | Twitter: @howickyouth | Web: howickyouthcouncil.org.nz
Email: howickyouthcouncil@gmail.com
Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving: Toi Manawa Workshop
Toi Manawa Workshop!
Students from Howick Intermediate enjoyed a fun learning experience working alongside the team at Aotearoa Bone and Stone carving. Over three different days they made a beautiful Maori Taonga (pendant) from Beef bone and Paua shell.
The workshop was interactive and promoted wellness and positive outcomes through creativity. Values such as tikanga (processes), whanaungatanga (togetherness), manaakitanga (support) and mahi toi (working towards a finished art piece) were incorporated. They utilise Te Ao Maori understanding and developed cultural insight. Students learnt how to safely use various electrical hand tools when creating their taonga.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Chinese Playback Theatre
Chinese Playback Theatre
Playback theatre is a social and interactive form of performance. By allowing audiences to contribute real-life moments their stories are transformed and brought to life through improvisation. They can be shared back to you through an amalgamation of humour, emotion and integrity.
This workshop, in Pakuranga, allowed the group to perform in Mandarin, developing a sense of spontaneity, confidence building and communication, pure expression and an unexpected experience.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board