Current Projects
Explore projects from Jul 2026 - Jun 2027 supported by Arts Out East
Dizzie Pixie: Dream Weavers Installation
Dream Weavers Installation
Created by artist Dizzie Pixie, this installation celebrates creativity, connection, sustainability, and belonging. What began as individual strips of fabric, woven by community members of all ages and backgrounds, has transformed into a vibrant collective artwork. Each woven piece represents a unique voice, story, and contribution.
Together, they form a colourful reflection of our community. Using reclaimed and repurposed materials, the work highlights the potential of creativity to bring people together while encouraging thoughtful and sustainable approaches to making. Through the simple act of weaving, participants contributed to a shared vision, creating something far greater than any individual piece could achieve alone.
This can be viewed in the Cultural Hub, next to New World in Ormiston Town Centre
Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Howick Frames - The Routes of Roots
Howick Frames - The Routes of Roots
📍Wellington Street, Howick, Auckland
Howick Frames is a community-driven exhibition initiative that brings art into the heart of Howick. Created in collaboration with Phantom Billstickers, the Howick Village Association, and a supportive local business owner, this innovative project transforms everyday spaces into opportunities for creativity.
Each month, a new set of works is featured, showcasing a range of mediums from painting and photography to textiles and design. The rotating exhibitions not only provide local artists with greater visibility but also invite the public to engage with art as part of their daily lives.
By turning the village into an open gallery, Howick Frames celebrates creativity, supports our artistic community, and enriches the cultural fabric of East Auckland.
Current Exhibition: The Route of Roots
Culture is not static. It is inherited, adapted, questioned and reimagined through the lives we lead and the communities we shape. The Routes of Roots brings together a selection of artworks by secondary school students from across East Auckland, offering a glimpse into the diverse ways young people understand identity, belonging and home.
Presented within the public realm, these works invite moments of pause amid the everyday. Each artwork becomes both a personal reflection and a shared conversation, revealing the layered experiences, histories and aspirations that make up our communities. Rather than seeking a single narrative of culture, the exhibition embraces plurality - recognising that identity is often fluid, intersecting and continually unfolding.
Artists draw from memory, ancestry, language, place and lived experience, translating these influences into visual forms that speak to both individual and collective belonging. Together, the works acknowledge that culture is as much about what we inherit as what we create, reminding us that communities are continually shaped through the stories we choose to tell and the connections we foster.
The creative perspectives of East Auckland's young people affirms the value of art as a means of seeing ourselves - and one another - with greater curiosity, empathy and understanding.
Past Exhibitions:
Brendan Kitto: Howick Ward 2024
Howick Frames is a partnership between Arts Out East Howick Village Associationand a local Business owner. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhiprogramme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Arts of Conversation: 4
Art of Conversation: Curated by Giulia Pianelli
The art of conversation is back for 2026, with a fourth rendition of artists and venues. The Art of Conversation is a series highlighting artists who share connections to the East Auckland area. Each invited artist will talk about their work and their practice in their favorite local café. This free series aims to break the formal nature of artist talks and support local businesses. All we ask is that when you attend, you purchase a hot or cold drink to support the chosen local business. Think good vibes, great art chat, and supporting locals with a nice beverage. This will run throughout the months of November 2026.
Giulia is incredibly excited to be curating the fourth edition of The Art of Conversation and to present such an amazing line-up of artists! Carla, Salome, Lina, Sahana, and Gary all come from different backgrounds and engage with distinct artistic practices, reflecting the vibrant diversity that makes the East Auckland community so unique.
Based “out east” herself, Giulia is also very happy to support local businesses through this project and to create opportunities for artists and communities to connect in these local spaces”.
Check out the series, make sure the dates are in your diary.
Carla Ruka
Sunday 1 November, 2PM
Zabr'One
47 The Parade, Bucklands Beach, AucklandSalome Tanuvasa
Saturday 7 November, 11.30AM
Hawthorn Dene
Down the long driveway 280 Botany Road, Golflands, Auckland 2013Lina Castro
Saturday 14 November, 12PM
Rombus Cafe + Bar
35 Cook Street, Howick, Auckland 2014Sahana Rahman
Saturday 21 November, 1:30PM
Uxbridge
35 Uxbridge Road, Mellons Bay, Auckland 2014Gary $ilipa
Saturday 28 November, 12PM
Hollywood Bakery
Pakuranga Plaza, Pakuranga 2010
About Giulia Pianelli
Giulia is an art professional and curator committed to supporting socially and politically engaged practices. She sees her work as a way to amplify activist messages and foster cross-cultural exchange through contemporary art.
Originally from Italy, Giulia is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau, where she works as Marketing Lead at The Arts House Trust. She previously held positions at Te Tuhi and at other galleries and organisations across Aotearoa and Europe. She is also developing an independent curatorial practice, with recent projects including Le Vu and Rebekah Sohn: Lines We Carry, Franklin Arts Centre (2026) and noa hāmana: Haerenga, Studio One Toi Tū (2026).
Giulia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts Management from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, a Master's degree in Global Marketing from the University of Milan, and a diploma in Australian Aboriginal Art History from Curtin University (Perth).
This year’s artists include: Carla Ruka, Salome Tanuvasa, Lina Castro, Sahana Rahman, Gary $ilipa
About the creatives
Carla Ruka
Carla Ruka is a distinguished clay artist renowned for her distinctive coiling technique, which is deeply immersed in a Māori worldview. Her practice is profoundly inspired by Hineukurangi, the Māori deity of clay, the natural environment (te taiao), and her Māori and European whakapapa (genealogy).
Carla maintains a diverse creative portfolio, leveraging her art to champion Māori ceramics while actively dedicating herself to community development and support. Her comprehensive work includes an online store, student mentorship, teaching, kapa haka facilitation, exhibition curation, sculpture and installation creation, project management, and community engagement. Furthermore, she holds the position of Pou Ārahi (Principal Cultural Advisor) for Te Tuhi.
Deeply connected to her communities, Carla is a dedicated member of Ngā Kaihanga Uku - Māori Clay Artist Collective and serves as a leader for Hineukurangi, a collective composed for the support and nurture of established and emerging Māori Ceramic Artists.
Salome Tanuvasa
Salome Tanuvasa is a New Zealand-born Tongan-Sāmoan artist whose practice responds directly to her environment and surroundings.
Certain shapes, colours and motifs recur and, by utilising what is around her in poetic and intuitive ways, the artist often speaks to the wider experience of Pacific people living in Aotearoa.
Salome works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, textiles, photography and video. She is interested in speaking directly to the work of women like her mother, a seamstress, and her textile banner works – rather than being about ‘craft’ – are explorations of labour and joy within and beyond the domestic realm.
Of her practice, she says: “I don’t like wasting materials, and I love challenging myself and seeking potential in mundane objects and offcuts. This gives me a new sense of hope every time.”
Salome completed her Masters degree at Elam School of Fine Arts in 2014 and she followed this with a Diploma in Secondary Teaching. She is represented by Tim Melville Gallery, and lives and works in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Lina Castro
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Lina Castro is an Industrial Designer with a background in education, sales and marketing. She discovered embroidery in 2016 and has since pushed the craft beyond the hoop through new techniques, materials and unexpected surfaces.
For Lina, embroidery is more than a craft; it's a safe space where she finds joy and explores her creative being. "Once I started stitching, my obsession has been to create contemporary pieces that bring this craft back to life, showing all the ways you can tell stories and express yourself with needle and thread."
Now based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Lina loves helping students discover something new about themselves, stitch by stitch. As a member of Sur Collective, she has participated in multiple collaborative exhibitions and projects, connecting with and building relationships with local artists.
Sahana Rahman
Sahana Rahman is a painter, textile and community artist of Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan Tamil heritage based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Born and raised in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Sahana graduated with a BFA (Hons) from Massey University in 2022.
Working across painting, embroidery and upcycled materials, her practice explores intuitive material exploration to express lived experience, healing and diasporic identity. Drawing from South Asian art traditions, particularly Bengali Kantha embroidery and its tradition of storytelling through stitching, Sahana brings these influences into her own practice to explore the complexities of navigating life as a brown queer person.
In 2025, Sahana was awarded the Asian Arts Fund Visual Arts Residency, supported by Satellites, Te Tuhi and Foundation North. She explored the hard and soft nature of materials and the in-between spaces they create. In the same year, she also presented her solo exhibition Katha O Maatram: Stories of Belonging at Studio One Toi Tū.
In 2022, Sahana created the ongoing Nokshi Kotha Workshop, a collective embroidery project inspired by Bengali Nokshi Kantha. More than 200 people across Aotearoa have contributed their stories to the growing embroidered mural, creating space for collective healing and joy.
Gary $ilipa
Gary $ilipa is a multidisciplinary artist with Samoan heritage based in Auckland, New Zealand. He has a versatile art practice and is a committed advocate for the role of community arts in fostering wellbeing and connection.
Since 2010, Gary has developed a distinctive visual language that moves beyond his early roots in graffiti, a form he explored extensively from 1998. His studio-based practice now produces works that fluidly inhabit both public spaces and gallery environments.
In 2015, Gary founded The Good The Bad in Glen Innes, the first art gallery in Tāmaki. In 2026, the gallery expanded to a new location at 79 Queens Road, Panmure. In 2025, he also established Books & Pieces at 37 Queens Road, Panmure.
Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Sahana Rahman - Kantha Stitching on Handmade Paper
Kantha Stitching on Handmade Paper
Kantha Stitching on Handmade Fabric Paper is a two-part workshop series exploring upcycling, storytelling and traditional hand-stitching practices inspired by Nokshi Kantha.
Over the first weekend, participants will transform discarded textiles into handmade paper using fabric pulp, creating a unique surface to work with. In the second session, participants will stitch into their dried fabric paper using Kantha-inspired techniques, exploring repetitive patterns, personal narratives and the meditative qualities of handwork.
By the end of the workshop series, each participant will have created a finished piece to take home, ready to frame and display.
Designed for young adults and adults, this workshop is suitable for beginners as well as those with previous creative experience. It is ideal for anyone interested in craft, storytelling, sustainability and culturally informed art practices.
Workshop 1
Saturday 14 & 28 November
Saturday 14 November | 10am–12pm
Te Tuhi Artist Studios
21 William Roberts Road, Pakuranga
Saturday 28 November | 10am–12pm
Robert Harris Café, Level 1
Botany Town Centre
588 Chapel Road, Botany
Workshop 2
Sunday 15 & 29 November
Sunday 15 November | 10am–12pm
Ormiston Cultural Hub (next to New World)
Ormiston Town Centre
240 Ormiston Road, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019
Sunday 29 November | 10am–12pm
Ormiston Cultural Hub (next to New World)
Ormiston Town Centre
240 Ormiston Road, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019
Artist: Sahana Rahman
Arts Out East is a Te Tuhiprogramme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Tui Hobson: Carving workshop
Carving Workshops with Tui Hobson
Discover the art of traditional wood carving with acclaimed artist Tui Hobson in this series of hands-on workshops at Te Tuhi. Suitable for beginners and those with some carving experience, each workshop offers the opportunity to learn traditional carving techniques while creating your own unique artwork to take home.
Talking Sticks Workshop: Create a unique 3D talking stick inspired by your personal stories and experiences. Using traditional mallets and chisels, you'll learn the fundamentals of whakairo in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Workshop Dates: Thursday 19 November, 10.00am–3.00pm / Saturday 5 December, 10.00am–3.00pm / Saturday 12 December, 10.00am–3.00pm / $40 per person (includes all tools and materials, bring your own safety gloves) / Suitable for Ages 16+
Relief Carving Workshop: Learn the basics of low-relief carving using traditional hand tools while creating your own carved artwork. Tui will guide you through each stage of the process, adapting the workshop to suit both beginners and participants with previous carving experience.
Workshop info: Saturday 21 November, 10.00am–3.00pm / Thursday 3 December, 10.00am–3.00pm / Thursday 10 December, 10.00am–3.00pm /$40 per person (includes all tools and materials, bring your own safety gloves) / Suitable for Ages 16+
About the Artist: Tui Hobson is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based artist whose three-decade sculpture practice draws on her Cook Islands heritage. Working across recycled native woods, stone, cast glass, and bronze, Tui has created public artworks and undertaken artist residencies throughout Aotearoa and internationally.
Bookings are essential as places are limited. Talking Sticks Workshop / Relief Carving Workshop
This is a Te Tuhi programme supported by Auckland Council
Jack Robertson: We Love Local Music
We Love Local Music
Enjoy live music this summer with We Love Local Music, a five-week music series delivered by East Auckland musician Jack Robertson. Bringing local musicians into the main public spaces of Botany Town Centre and Ormiston Town Centre, the series will showcase homegrown talent and add a soundtrack to your summer shopping and weekend outings.
The project aims to create more performance opportunities for young and emerging musicians across Tāmaki Makaurau, helping artists build experience, connect with audiences and share their music with the community.
Whether you’re stopping for a listen, meeting friends or enjoying a day out, come along, discover local talent and support East Auckland’s music scene.
Check out the series, make sure the dates are in your diary.
Saturday 21 November
12pm - 2pm Ormiston Town Centre: Jack Robertson
1pm - 3pm Botany Town Centre: Matt ParkinsonSaturday 28 November
12pm - 2pm Ormiston Town Centre: Amylia Wang
1pm - 3pm Botany Town Centre: Jack RobertsonSaturday 05 December
12pm - 2pm Ormiston Town Centre: Maria Clara
1pm - 3pm Botany Town Centre: Jordan BellSaturday 12 December
12pm - 2pm Ormiston Town Centre: Matt Parkinson
1pm - 3pm Botany Town Centre: Niklas MeadsSaturday 19 December
12pm - 2pm Ormiston Town Centre: Niklas Meads
1pm - 3pm Botany Town Centre: Maria Clara
About the Musicians
Jack Robertson : Born and raised in East Auckland, New Zealand, Artist Jack Robertson has emerged from his upbringings of English rock and folk music to land in his own world of bittersweet pop. Following the success of his debut EP “Risk of Rain” Jack has split his time in Auckland, Los Angeles, and Nashville, performing live and writing new material for his next project slated for 2027.
Amylia : Amylia is a Kiwi-born Chinese singer-songwriter with a rich and soulful voice that resonates deeply. Her debut single 'I Will Find a Way' introduced her as a bold new presence in Alternative Rock, an anthem inspired by her parents' migration to Aotearoa New Zealand. She recently joined forces with Something They Call Myth and Ms Mia on 'Too: Matheson Bay Sessions', a fully live recorded fold EP.
Jordan Bell : Jordan Bell is a New Zealand folk-pop artist, guitarist and vocalist bringing laid-back grooves, soulful vocals and feel-good music to live audiences. Blending acoustic folk with influences from indie, soul, reggae and surf rock, his sound is suited to everything from relaxed afternoons and sunset sessions to lively nights and events.
Niklas Meads : Niklas Meads is an Auckland-based solo performer - voice and acoustic guitar. Over the past several years, Niklas has performed across Auckland while also writing and producing his own music. He’s been playing guitar and singing for over 15 years and loves learning songs across all kinds of genres, always finding new ways to challenge himself as a musician.
Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
2026 Shanghai’s Most Beautiful Book Poster Exhibition
2026 Shanghai’s Most Beautiful Book Poster Exhibition
Presented by: Shanghai Books & Periodicals Distribution Industry Association, China National Publications Import & Export Shanghai Co., Ltd.
About the Exhibition
Shanghai has been a major publishing centre in China for more than a century, with book posters forming an important part of the city’s rich cultural heritage.
As a visual medium, book posters communicate the content and spirit of books and literary events through concise and imaginative design. They reflect the distinctive character of Shanghai’s “Haipai” (Shanghai-style) aesthetic, known for its openness, diversity and blend of Eastern and Western influences.
To celebrate this creative tradition, the Shanghai Books & Periodicals Distribution Industry Association initiated the “Most Beautiful Book Poster” selection in 2018. The programme has since developed into an influential cultural initiative, with 4,951 posters submitted and 1,760 works receiving awards. Selected works have been exhibited in Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong, extending the reach of Shanghai’s book poster culture across China and internationally.
The Exhibition in New Zealand
The Fragrance of Books Travels Far · The Spirit of Ink Conveys Emotion — Shanghai’s Most Beautiful Book Poster Exhibition now arrives in New Zealand.
The exhibition presents 50 award-winning works selected from the past three years of Shanghai’s “Most Beautiful Book Poster” competitions.
Bringing together typography, illustration, calligraphy, imagery and graphic design, the posters offer an insight into contemporary Chinese book culture and Shanghai’s distinctive visual language.
Beauty needs no translation. Carrying the wisdom of the East and the aesthetics of Shanghai, these works offer an opportunity for audiences in New Zealand to experience the creativity and cultural heritage of Shanghai’s book poster tradition.
Under the southern hemisphere sun, the posters become a visual bridge between readers, artists and cultures in China and New Zealand.
This project is organised by The Books & Periodicals Distribution Association of Shanghai, China National Publications Import & Export Shanghai, supported by NZ Multicultural Exchange and Experience Centre, New Zealand International Student Association, Arts Out East and Ormiston Town Centre.
Celebrating Cultures Pop-Up
Celebrating Cultures Pop-Up
Arts Out East invites you to experience the Celebrating Culture Pop-Up, a free two-week celebration of creativity, culture, and community in the heart of Botany Town Centre.
Produced by Arts Out East, Te Tuhi's community arts brokering programme, the Celebrating Culture Pop-Up showcases the incredible diversity of East Auckland by bringing together local artists, performers, cultural organisations, and community groups in one vibrant creative space.
Across two weeks, visitors can enjoy free cultural workshops, live performances, demonstrations, storytelling, music, dance, and hands-on activities designed to encourage participation, learning, and connection. Whether you're trying a new creative skill, celebrating your own heritage, or discovering another culture, there's something for everyone.
Throughout the programme, you can contribute to collaborative community artworks, explore traditions from around the world, and connect with the people who make East Auckland one of Aotearoa's most culturally diverse communities.
Collabortative community projects:
We celebrated with an Opening Celebration on Saturday 26 September, featuring live entertainment, creative activities, and family fun to launch two weeks of free cultural experiences.
The Celebrating Culture Pop-Up is proudly delivered by Arts Out East and Te Tuhi, generously funded by the Howick Local Board and supported by Botany Town Centre.
Celebrating Cultures: Community Quilt
Community Quilt: Pieces of Home
Drawing inspiration from our cultural backgrounds, participants at The Celebrating Cultures Pop-up created a patch for our evolving cultural community quilt. Designing a silhouette inspired by a cultural symbol, object, simple pattern, or tradition that holds meaning for our community was the focus.
Each creation was photographed and added to our growing digital artwork, creating a collective quilt that celebrates the many cultures and stories within our community. Our community then got to take the original piece home.
Create. Share. Celebrate.
The Pop-Up offered a unique opportunity to embrace our community’s rich cultural heritage through arts, culture, and connection. Don’t miss out, come experience the heart and soul of our community in a welcoming and inclusive space!
The Celebrating Culture Pop-Up is proudly delivered by Arts Out East a Te Tuhi programme, generously funded by the Howick Local Board and supported by Botany Town Centre.
Celebrating Cultures: Community Mural
Community Mural: Portraits of us
East Auckland’s very own community artwork was held, at Botany Town Centre, as a part of The Celebrating Cultures Pop-up. Participants were invited to creating a self-portrait and add it to to collaborative installation. It was an opportunity to get creative, contribute your own unique face to a growing artwork that celebrates the people who make up our community and express our unique, authentic cultural richness.
Everyone were welcome to take part!
The Pop-Up offered a unique opportunity to embrace our community’s rich cultural heritage through arts, culture, and connection. Don’t miss out, come experience the heart and soul of our community in a welcoming and inclusive space!
Check out the full programme here.
The Celebrating Culture Pop-Up is proudly delivered by Arts Out East a Te Tuhi programme, generously funded by the Howick Local Board and supported by Botany Town Centre.
Ngaroma Riley: Soap carving workshop
Soap Carving with Ngaroma Riley
Discover the rich traditions of Māori carving in this hands-on workshop with artist Ngaroma Riley. Learn about the tikanga of carving and the ancestral form and function of the koruru (carved gable mask) before developing practical carving skills using soap and simple, safe tools.
Guided by Ngaroma, you'll explore techniques for creating three-dimensional forms while carving your own unique koruru-inspired artwork to take home.
Suitable for beginners, with activities that can also be adapted for those with more carving experience.
Workshop Dates: Sunday 20 September, 10.00am–12.00pm / Sunday 20 September, 2.00pm–4.00pm / Thursday 24 September, 6.00pm–8.00pm / $20 per person (includes all tools and materials) / Ages 12+ (Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.)
About the Artist: Ngaroma Riley (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Pākehā) is an artist and founder of Te Ana o Hine, a wāhine-led carving shed based at Te Tuhi in Tāmaki Makaurau. Ngaroma began her carving journey creating Buddhist statues while living and working in Japan. Since returning to Aotearoa in 2020, she has completed a Certificate in Whakairo at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Her recent achievements include building a storehouse for a sculptural installation in Kaitaia, being shortlisted for the 2023 Kingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award, and winning the 2025 Molly Morpeth Canaday Major Art Award. She is widely recognised for her hand-carved karetao (puppets) and her distinctive sculptural practice.
Te Ana o Hine at Te Tuhi is a wāhine-led carving space established to create a safe and supportive environment for wāhine taketake and others who encounter barriers within the carving world. Meaning "the cave of Hine", the studio draws on the mana of the atua wāhine, providing an āhuru mōwai (sanctuary) for artists to learn, create and connect. The name also acknowledges the whare tangata—the house of humanity—honouring wāhine Māori as creators and nurturers of future generations.
Bookings are essential as places are limited.
Bookings are essential as places are limited. Soap Carving bookings
This is a Te Tuhi programme supported by Auckland Council
Elderly Queer give Advice
Elderly Queer Give Advise
Looking for a chat, some life advice, or a few great stories? Our wonderful rainbow elders will be at Te Tuhi Café, ready to connect, share their experiences, and welcome people of all ages.
Whether you have a question, want to hear an outrageous anecdote, or simply want to meet older members of the rainbow community, this is a warm, relaxed space to kōrero, laugh, and connect.
Arts Out East is a Te Tuhiprogramme supported by the Howick Local Board.