We advocate for the growth of arts and culture in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty.
Our vision is to facilitate
an environment where arts, culture and creativity thrive.
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi.
With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.
HONONGA | CONNECTING
We develop empathetic, meaningful relationships to connect artists, audiences, funders and stakeholders so that knowledge, networks, creative projects, and resources can be shared.
WHAKAMANATIA | CAPABILITY BUILDING
We unlock capacity, capability and potential, facilitating pathways and building skills and confidence to enable artists and the wider community to grow and achieve their goals.
KAIWERO | ADVOCACY
We strategically and intentionally advocate the value, relevance and influence of arts, culture and creativity to decision makers, community leaders, funders and the wider community.
WHAKAARA PĀ | PROMOTION
We profile and tell the stories of creative people and cultural experiences to amplify the arts, culture and creativity, building greater interest, awareness, and audiences.
Creative Bay of Plenty | Te Waka Auaha Toi was founded in 1969 as the Tauranga Arts Council and is the arts and culture umbrella organisation covering Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty. In partnership with our local councils and with the support of regional and national funders (in particular TECT), we support and advocate for the growth of arts, culture and creativity due to their significant contribution to the vibrancy and wellbeing of communities, as well as their positive impact on economic growth and prosperity.
We have a focus on making connections, capability building, advocacy and promoting creatives and their activities. Working closely with local government, schools and educators, iwi, other non-profits and umbrella organisations, funders and the private sector, we focus on ensuring a vibrant, expressive, and diverse sense of creative community to enhance quality of life through the arts. We consider our vision and mission to be essential for a healthy city and region—with arts, culture and heritage seen as a driver of social cohesion and community wellbeing.
On a national leadership level, Creative Bay of Plenty is also a proud leadership member of RANA: Regional Arts Network Aotearoa. This emerging consortium comprises New Zealand’s major and developing regional arts organisations who work together on sustainable arts, culture and heritage developments, advise on public policy opportunities, and serve as a unified voice for cultural identity and creative wellbeing on a local, regional, and national level.
Te Waka Auaha Toi is the name given to Creative Bay of Plenty by tangata whenua. The word ‘Waka’ translates to a customary canoe, yet metaphorically, ‘Te Waka’ conveys the notion of a vehicle which carries an idea, a message, or an aspiration forward. ’Auaha Toi’ places ‘Te Waka’ within the creative sector. ‘Te Waka Auaha Toi’ translates to the vehicle on which our creative sector is led and supported. Our aspiration is to advocate for a fully resourced creative sector that enables our creatives to thrive, and support connection and wellbeing in communities through cultural and creative expression.
MEET THE TRUSTEES
Creative Bay of Plenty has a governing board of volunteer members. They represent a diverse cross-section of creatives from the Western Bay region.
MEET THE TEAM
Get to know the crew at CBOP. A dynamic team of art loving individuals with a vested interest in seeing arts and culture thrive in our region.
CBOP SUPPORTERS
Along with Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council, CBOP is supported by local organisations who are all invested in seeing our region’s arts and culture sector thrive.