As we move through the Alert Levels, the arts in the Bay of Plenty are evolving to fit conditions and continue to thrive as much as possible while ensuring we all stay safe. Creative Bay of Plenty have collected all the creative, arty things you can do in Level 2 to satisfy your senses!
You can go and LOOK at art again! ?
Exhibitions are popping back up all over the region. The Incubator gallery is back up and running, currently showing Kalou Koefoed’s Basaloid Project, with an exciting exhibition by Elliot Mason opening 5 June… down the lane, The People’s Gallery is showing Shakti Ethnic Women’s Support Group’s This Too Will Pass, and Okorore Ngā Toi Māori gallery are restocking their Whare Taonga space and the resident artists will be back to show you their wares. Over the road, Satellite Studios‘ resident artists are back in their spaces too, ready for visitors – so, don’t be shy!
You can jump on the brand new Miles Art Award electric bus to the Tauranga Art Gallery for their re-opening on Wednesday 20 May. Entry will be limited, so remember to be kind while you explore Matatoki: Mata a Waka, Kelcy Taratoa: Te Kore Te Wiwia, The Miles Art Awards 2020, and Lianne Edwards: Sentinels & Sea Change.
The Art Lounge’s doors are open once more, and the walls (and website) are showing Dalene Meiring‘s richly coloured works, with Vjekoslav Nemesh’s exhibition The Power House opening this Friday 22 May.
You can go and BUY art again! ?
Kowhai Interiors & Gallery on Eleventh Ave are back open for your home styling needs! Tauranga locals Dana and Ness will be happy to help you find your perfect boutique piece to complete your space. You can also view Zephyr Resin Art‘s pieces in the Kowhai Gallery.
Macandmor are displaying their wares via their online gallery, full to the brim of pieces in all mediums. If you are in the Tauranga area you can arrange a ‘see-before-you-buy’ session but Macandmor do offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied.
The Arts Junction in Katikati are excited to be open 7 days a week from 10am – 2pm. They have a new exhibition in the Carlton Gallery from the Tauranga Porcelain Art Group, and the shop is open for locally made products and Katikati Open Air Art souvenirs. The Arts Junction also has a new website that has gone live over lock-down. Check it our here: www.theartsjunction.org.nz
While you’re in Katikati, you can still participate in outdoor art during Level 2. Take a stroll down the Haiku Pathway, and enjoy the abundance of murals – you’re in the mural capital of the country, after all.
You can WATCH and LISTEN TO art again! ?
Operatic duo Angus and Anna Simmons have found a way to continue to bring us live music during lockdown Level 2. Fancy a spot of garden opera at your birthday? The husband-and-wife duo are offering private opera concerts across Tauranga, bringing classical music to your gardens and driveways during Level 2. Performances are contactless and are restricted to the host and their friends, to ensure complete safety and compliance with Level 2 conditions. We can’t think of a better way to support our Bay of Plenty musicians while enjoying a truly remarkable occasion.
While Baycourt won’t be open for the first weeks of Level 2, you can get your performance art fix at Rialto Tauranga with social distancing seating in place. You can bring your bubble on Thursday 21 May to the premier of the independent thriller ‘The Assistant‘ – tickets include bubbles for your bubble on arrival.
Tauranga Musical Theatre ask you to save the dates for their next shows – their production of Les Misérables will go ahead in September 2021 at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre. Watch this space for the postponement of the rest of their 2020 shows…
On the topic of live venues, we ask that you consider showing your support to Mt Maunganui’s live music venue, TOTARA ST. As with many other businesses around New Zealand and the world, their doors are closed and they are staring down the barrel of not turning a dime for months on end. They have formed a Boosted campaign to try and ensure that they are still here to serve the community as an arts and culture hub for years to come. #welovetotarastreet #saveourvenues
