Ki te mea ka taka te kākano ki te wāhi e tika ana ka tinaku, ā, ka pihi ake he tipu hou - If a seed falls in the right place it will germinate and a new seedling will sprout.

Kākano Youth Arts Collective are set to launch a pop-up Gallery in The Falls Restaurant Car Park in Henderson on Saturday 3 November 2018.

An old shipping container that once served as the information kiosk on Wynyard Quarter has been shifted and repurposed to house the new community-based pop-up Gallery with the support of the city’s regeneration agency Panuku Development Auckland, which is also leading the regeneration of Henderson.

From November 2018 – February 2019 the pop-up Gallery will feature art works and merchandise from Kākano artists for purchase.

Led by Mandy Patmore, Kākano Youth Arts Collective is a unique visual arts initiative for young artists aged between 12 and 20 years old. The Collective provides an alternative for vulnerable youth by engaging in studio work and community projects, while refining skills in painting, sculpture, carving, drawings and street art.

Kākano burst onto the scene in 2013, originally as a pilot programme in response to recognising the needs of some of the most vulnerable young people in West Auckland.

Over the last 5 years, Kākano has garnered a favourable reputation in West Auckland, contributing greatly to the revitalisation of the Henderson and wider West Auckland community. Creative Director Mandy Patmore is thrilled with the Pop-Up Gallery opportunity:

"For the next 3 months we get to do something we’ve been working towards for 5 years. It’s been a goal of mine to give the Kākano artists a chance to have an established place to sell their art works in the community," explains Patmore.

"We couldn’t be more excited about being able to share the mahi they have created with the Henderson and Auckland community!"

The Kākano Pop-Up Gallery is part of a long-term revitalisation vision for the Henderson area, explains Angelika Cutler from Panuku Development Auckland:

"The Kākano Pop-Up Gallery will help to reconnect the community with spaces in their town centre and follows on nicely from the fresh look international designers have been asked to take at  the two carparks on the corner of Edmonton and Alderman Roads as part of the C40 Reinventing Cities programme aimed at encouraging low carbon property development."

"It’s also great to see the container that served as a first port of call for tens of thousands of Aucklanders and visitors to Wynyard Quarter in its first six years of redevelopment shipped 15kms west and put to such good use."

"We’re looking forward to working more with the inspirational team at Kākano and others involved with the project to support the gallery to grow into a real community hub for Henderson," says Cutler.

Also in The Falls carpark will be the EcoMatters Bike Hub, a community hub that supports everyone to experience the fun, and many other benefits, of riding a bike. The Bike Hub at Henderson is EcoMatters' second bike hub in West Auckland after its original hub in New Lynn, and has relocated to this new location from its previous site on Henderson Valley Road. 

"We're thrilled to be moving to a location that's easily accessible from the lovely Henderson Creek shared path, so families out on a weekend ride can now drop by to give our novelty bikes a go, pick up free maps and chat about bikes," says Brent Bielby, EcoMatters Bike Hubs Manager.

The friendly community bike team at the Bike Hub provide free advice and support with learning basic bike maintenance like repairing punctures or adjusting brakes and gears. They also provide used bikes for sale and loan at low cost, free access to tools, and safe cycling advice and guidance. The bike team welcomes volunteers and donations of old or unused bikes in reasonable condition during open hours. 

Both the Kākano Pop-Up Gallery and the EcoMatters Bike Hub will be key features of this newly activated community space in Henderson, with members of the public encouraged to visit.

Both will officially open on Saturday 3 November, 10am – 2pm in The Falls Restaurant Car Park, 22 Alderman Drive, Henderson, Auckland.

Kākano Pop-Up Gallery Opening Hours: Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat, 10am -3pm from Wednesday 7 November 2018.

EcoMatters Bike Hub @ Henderson, bike donations and volunteers welcome. Opening hours: Fri, Sat and Sun, 10am-4pm from Saturday 3 November 2018.