Tauranga streets are about to burst into colour as the Tauranga Street Art Festival transforms blank walls into breathtaking murals from Friday, 21 March to Sunday, 23 March.
Like an artist’s first brushstroke on a fresh canvas, the festival will reimagine the cityscape -blending creativity, community, and culture into a masterpiece of motion.
The free, family friendly festival sees five prominent local and out of town artists painting large-scale artworks on five blank walls over three days. Art trail maps will be available, and the community are encouraged to walk between sites and witness the murals come to life in real-time.
The festival is being delivered by Craig McClure and Paul Bradley of Lighthouse, a public art curation and production company, with funding from Creative Bay of Plenty, and support from Tauranga City Council, Resene, Tauranga Art Gallery, Fosters, and Height for Hire.
Craig says he was very impressed by the standard of the artists during the expression of interest process.
“There has been a careful selection process around location of the sites and artists. We had nearly eighty artists respond and were blown away by the quality of applicants keen to showcase their talents. We take a diverse approach to the artist line up, aiming to have a range of styles and forms of expression. From this process and planning we were happy to involve more local artists than we originally planned, simply because of the high standard already found in Tauranga.”
With inspiration ranging from natural history and creatures to traditional hand painted techniques, optical play, and New Zealand heritage, the artist lineup features Jasmine Kroeze and Elliot Mason from Tauranga, BEMODERN from Mount Maunganui, and HASER and Erin Forsyth from Auckland.
Creative Bay of Plenty Strategy and Capability Lead, Annie Hill says the Tauranga Street Art Festival will provide a unique opportunity for people to see talented artists transform everyday surroundings into visually striking artworks.
“The festival provides local artists with the opportunity to showcase their work on a public platform, gaining exposure and recognition within the community and beyond. It will help redefine the urban landscape, making spaces more engaging and dynamic, thereby increasing visitation to the city centre. As the art evolves, it will become part of the city centre’s identity, preserving the voices and perspectives of our community.”
Te Papa Ward Councillor Rod Taylor agrees, saying art has the power to transform cities.
“Art has the capacity to create beautiful and vibrant cities. It can share local stories, celebrate communities, and enliven spaces. The murals will remain as a legacy that can be enjoyed by everyone, adding vibrancy to the city centre and contributing to its revitalisation.”
Beyond the large-scale murals, festival goers can enjoy interactive artist talks and supporting entertainment like live music, roving performers and more, making this an immersive experience for all ages.
Find out more about the festival, the artists, and the mural sites here.
| Image caption | Te Papa o ngā manu Porotakataka (The Place of Circling Birds) by BEMODERN - one of the artists selected for the Tauranga Street Art Festival. Image: Supplied by artist. |