Current projects
Explore projects from Jul 2025 - Jun 2026 supported by Arts Out East.
NFACT: Turning old into gold
Turning old into gold in Ormiston
This project aims to establish a safe, welcoming space where women from refugee and migrant backgrounds can come together to connect, share their stories, and engage in creative activities that honour their cultural identity, foster a sense of belonging, and build community.
The programme will be led by talented women who bring a wealth of knowledge and skills in art, embroidery, and textile work. These creative sessions will not only preserve cultural traditions but also offer opportunities for participants to develop new skills, build confidence, and explore their creativity in a supportive environment.
NFACT is working towards establishing a dedicated group in Ormiston, offering regular sessions where women can learn new techniques, share ideas, and eventually create a community-led mending and upcycling shop. As their skills grow, the women will have the opportunity to take on small projects, offering their talents back to the wider community.
This initiative will provide a vital opportunity for refugee and migrant women in East Auckland to connect, create, and thrive, ensuring they are empowered, supported, and celebrated as part of our community.
Visit Thursday 10th July 2025, from 11am - 1pm and fortnightly into 2026.
This was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
W: NFACT
Ormiston Community Map
Ormiston Community Map
Join us at Ormiston Town Centre to be part of a unique community art project, the creation of a giant, collaborative map of Ormiston.
Bonnie the artist will prepare the base map by laying out the Ormiston street grid on a large, floor-sized sheet. Community members will then be encouraged to contribute drawings of landmarks, houses, shops, and personal touches that capture the spirit of our neighbourhood.
The final outcome will be a community-built street map of Ormiston, reflecting both the place and the people who live here, this will be displayed in Ormiston Town Centre. Led by local illustrator Bonnie, this project is open to all ages, completely free to join, and doesn’t require any prior art experience.
Come along, grab a pen, and help us celebrate Ormiston’s story – one sketch at a time.
Follow Bonnie: Instagram
Workshop Dates
Saturday 08 November 10am - 2pm in the Cultural Hub in Ormiston Town Centre Book a time slot
Sunday 09 November 10am - 2pm in the Cultural Hub in Ormiston Town Centre Book a time slot
Choose a session and book your time to be part of the community map.
This project is a partnership between Arts Out East and Ormiston Town Centre. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Summer Groove Series in The Square
Summer Groove Series in The Square
This summer, Ormiston Town Centre will be buzzing with the sounds of East Auckland’s talented musicians. Over five weeks, the Summer Groove Series in the Square brings live performances right to the heart of the centre, creating the perfect soundtrack to your summer days.
Audiences can expect a great atmosphere filled with music, community spirit, and the joy of discovering local talent. The lineup includes exciting performances from Amylia, Benjamin Mack, Jenni Smith and Jack Robertson, each bringing their unique sound and style to the stage.
Whether you’re stopping by for some shopping, grabbing a bite to eat, or simply soaking up the sunshine, the Summer Musical Series offers the perfect chance to relax, enjoy, and support incredible homegrown talent. Come along for great music, great atmosphere, and a true celebration of local creativity.
Ormiston Town Centre
Saturday: 15 Nov, 22 Nov, 29 Nov, 6 Dec, 13 Dec
12PM – 2PM
Free | All welcome
This project is a partnership between Arts Out East and Ormiston Town Centre. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Handmade Organic Basket weaving
Learn how to weave a small basket using foraged foliage and a terracotta base.
Transform excess leaves and vines into a beautiful, natural vessel through mindful handcrafting. Enjoy this meditative process of coiling and weaving plant materials to create an organic, sustainable object — perfect for your home or as a heartfelt handmade gift.
This workshop is led by Sarah Walker-Holt, a local New Zealand visual artist and contemporary jeweller. Represented by Fingers Gallery in Auckland’s CBD and Art Industry in Clevedon, Sarah exhibits both nationally and internationally. Her current research explores the sourcing, growing, foraging, and processing of natural materials — with organic basket-making forming an integral part of her artistic practice.
Saturday 29 November 10am - 2pm in the Cultural Hub in Ormiston Town Centre Books essential.
This project is a Funded by Arts Out East. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Dream Weavers
Dream Weavers
Join us for a hands-on community weaving project where everyone is welcome, no art experience needed! Together, we’ll create a series of community dreamcatchers, inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to weave colour, fabric, and hopes into shared circles. Each piece will become a vibrant marker of belonging, showing how creativity can bind us together.
The workshops will be led by Dizzie Pixie, an award-winning mixed media artist based in Auckland, New Zealand. Known for her eclectic works made from reclaimed and up-cycled materials, Dizzie Pixie’s practice blends art and community, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds through playful, hands-on creativity.
Grab recycled fabric strips, write a dream, wish, hope, or story on your strip, and weave it onto a circular frame. Plait, chat, relax, and watch a vibrant, textured artwork grow. Every strip is unique, yet together they form a strong, colourful, and lively design, showing how each of us brings something special to our community.
Weaving is an age-old craft that tells stories and builds connection. This project celebrates creativity, wellbeing, and sustainability, turning unwanted fabrics into joyful, meaningful creations. Bring your own special fabric if you like, sip a warm drink, and enjoy a mindful, playful space that welcomes everyone.
Pick a strip, write your story, and weave or plait it onto a circle at your own pace. The artist will bring all the dreamcatchers together into one large, layered community artwork. Participants are then invited to return with friends and whānau to see the installation, a celebration of creativity, connection, and community spirit.
Workshop Dates
Saturday 28 March 10am - 2pm in the Cultural Hub in Ormiston Town Centre Book a time slot
Sunday 29 March 10am - 2pm in the Cultural Hub in Ormiston Town Centre Book a time slot
Choose a session and book your time to be part of the community map.
This project is Funded by Arts Out East. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.
Jessie Kanji: Ink, Print, Play
Ink, Print, Play - with artist Jessie Kanji
These screen printing workshops are a series of hands-on workshop led by artist, researcher, and educator Jessie Kanji. The artist is offering a playful introduction to colour theory, pattern making, and the ancient craft of silkscreen printing. Taking place across the Howick Local Board area, the series includes three creative sessions using eco-friendly, water-based inks and a curated set of pre-exposed screens. Participants will have the chance to transform t-shirts, tote bags, or smooth fabric into wearable works of art. The first two workshops are tailored for adults (18+), focusing on screen-printing techniques, layering, and individual expression. The third session invites youth (12+) and families to join in, encouraging intergenerational creativity and shared making. Rooted in Kanji’s interdisciplinary printmaking practice, these free workshops are designed to foster community connection, creative exploration, and access to high-quality arts experiences. All skill levels are welcome, and materials will be provided, participants are also welcome to bring their own garments or fabric to print on.
Spots are limited – registration and booking fee is essential.
Workshop one: Sunday 20 July (18+)
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Venue: Ormiston Town Centre - Cultural Hub next to New World
Workshops two: Sunday 27 July (18+)
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Venue: Ormiston Town Centre - Cultural Hub next to New World
Workshops three: Saturday 9 August (12 +)
Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Venue: Captain Musick Air Scout Hall, 64 Pigeon Mountain Road, Halfmoon Bay, Auckland
Book by emailing Jessie , booking fee applies $15, workshops are free
This is an Arts Out East Project in collaboration with the Howick Village Association. Arts Out East is supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Siva Afi Aotearoa: Village Siva Afi
Learn Siva Afi - For Free in Pakuranga
Join us for Village Siva Afi, a free beginner workshop series introducing the exciting art of Siva Ailao Afi (fire knife dance). Open to ages 5 and up, these fun and engaging sessions are perfect for those who have never tried Siva Afi before.
Running across nine Saturdays from June to August at Pakuranga Leisure Centre, each workshop will teach the five basic Siva Afi moves, building towards a short performance routine by the end of the program. With support from Arts Out East, all registered participants will also receive a free practice stick to take home.
Workshops are led by award-winning tutors from Polynesian Entertainers, passionate about sharing this powerful cultural artform with the East Auckland community.
Spots are limited to 30 participants – registration is essential.
Workshops: Saturdays, June 7–August 30
Time: 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Venue: Pakuranga Leisure Centre
Register here before Thursday 28 May at 5pm.
Amo: Email / contact 021 023 00599
This is an Arts Out East Project in collaboration with the Howick Village Association. Arts Out East is supported by Te Tuhi and Howick Local Board
Speak Out East (community cultural poetry at Botany Town Centre) showing now!
Speak Out East (Community Poetry)
Speak out East is a community-driven project aimed at utilising unused wall spaces throughout Botany Town Centre to showcase poetry from various community groups. East Auckland is a culturally vibrant community reflected in groups of locals who are eager to express their background and get involved in the areas they live. The project invites our community cultural groups to represent their experiences of living out East in their native tongue, providing moments of reflection, fostering connections and inspiration for visitors to the centre.
Featured poems throughout Botany Town Centre:
Speak Out East is a project delivered by Arts Out East generously supported by Botany Town Centre, Arts Out East, Te Tuhi and the Howick Local Board.
Howick Frames - Vending machine, showing now!
Howick Frames - A Platform for Local Creatives
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: Vending machine
Currently on display at Howick Frames, this exhibition showcases The Mini Print Machine, a playful, surprise-filled art experience by Bonnie Wong that highlights local businesses in Howick.
Inspired while people-watching at a café, Bonnie asked herself:
“What could add a little spark to our daily routines?”
Her answer was a retro-style vending machine stocked with affordable, collectible art prints. Each token unlocks a surprise, one of Bonnie’s whimsical mini prints, transforming a simple purchase into a keepsake, a moment of delight, and a new connection to the café space.
Follow Bonnie: Instagram
Past Exhibitions :
Brendan Kitto: Howick Ward 2024
Howick Frames is a partnership between Arts Out East Howick Village Association and a local Business owner. Arts Out East is a Te Tuhi programme supported by the Howick Local Board.