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2023 Art Guide, Celebrating the Artistic Diversity of Hawke's Bay

Arts Inc. Heretaunga and Creative Arts Napier are thrilled to announce the launch of the 2023 Hawke’s Bay Art Guide, with the highly anticipated showcase exhibition running until Thursday 15 June. 

This collaborative endeavour between the two organisations aims to promote and celebrate the region’s incredible artists, and inspire individuals to embark on their own art adventure across Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay.

Released annually as a prelude to the October Hawke’s Bay Arts Trail, but designed to be used year-round, the Hawke’s Bay Art Guide serves as a comprehensive directory and landing place to start exploring our region’s vibrant creative community. 

This year, the focus of the Hawke’s Bay Art Guide is to foster a greater appreciation for the arts within the community. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to visit the studios of well-established high-profile artists or emerging new talent, and take a self-guided walking tour of public artworks across the region. 

“Our goal is to make art accessible to all of those in Hawke’s Bay,” says Pitsch Leiser, Community Arts Development Manager, Arts Inc. Heretaunga.

"We’re encouraging everyone in the community to consider what art means for them, as they come across loved and new artists and artworks featured in the guide and exhibition.”

“We’re taking steps to put more art in front of more people and have worked with our partners Hastings District Council and Napier City Council to showcase public artworks in an easy-to-read format, to highlight the significance of art in public spaces and its role in embracing the artistic diversity of a local community,” says Mr Leiser.

Mayor of Hastings, Sandra Hazlehurst says, “The role arts, culture and events play in bringing us together has never been more important than now as we recover from the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, and also still adapt to a post-Covid world.”

“The evidence is growing that arts, culture and events have huge benefits for the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities, at all times, but particularly now. 

“The arts are a powerful tool in our recovery from the cyclone – strengthening social support, transforming quality of life and building hope. 

“Hastings District Council is proud to support the publication of the Hawke’s Bay Art Guide and local artists, to showcase our incredible art to the community,” says Mayor Hazlehurst. 

Mayor of Napier, Kirsten Wise says, “Napier City Council is strongly committed to supporting the arts in the community and making it accessible for everyone. 

“The Hawke’s Bay Art Guide showcases some of Napier’s unique public artworks which reflect and express the diversity and character of the city.”

New coordinators Putaanga Waitoa from Creative Arts Napier and Sonia Chrystall from Arts Inc. Heretaunga identified the need for the Hawke’s Bay Art Guide to reflect Hawke’s Bay’s rich and diverse visual arts community and in doing so have welcomed over 30 new creatives and businesses as part of the 2023 Hawke’s Bay Art Guide.

The Hastings and Napier i-Sites will play a special role in celebrating some of these artists, by showcasing selected artists throughout the year.  

Creative Arts Napier Manager, Tania Wright, says “the return on investment for this project to our region cannot be overstated. 

“The guide is one of the fastest moving brochures at the airport and i-Site connecting our vibrant arts community to our incoming visitors.”