It's a good time to be a sculptor - or sculpture enthusiast - in Aotearoa.

It's far from a cheap or easy art form to dedicate your talents to, but its impact can be profound and lasting, especially when its put on public display.

The always well-attended Sculpture in the Gardens - touted as New Zealand’s most popular outdoor art event - returned to the Auckland Botanic Gardens last weekend (16 November) after a three-year hiatus.

16 sculptures made the final cut for the three-month, free event that's sure to get plenty of eyeballs on the impressive creations - the 2021 exhibition boasted more than 350,000 visitors. There are some well-established, award-winning creatives in the field like Emma Camden, Gina Ferguson and audio artist Dale Cotton - as well as seperate offerings from father and son sculptors James and Jorge Wright. 

Co-curator Linda Tyler - sharing the duties with Terry Urbahn and Catherine Hamilton - notes “We were blown away by the talent and creativity of the artists who submitted works to the exhibition. Narrowing it down to just 16 works was really difficult.

“The selected artworks are simply incredible. They were carefully chosen for their playfulness, the strength of the messages they carry, and for the skills demonstrated by the artists working in a variety of materials.

“There’s a terrific mix of crowd favourites who have exhibited at previous events, and others offering fresh and exciting new perspectives."

Saturday's Gala - on a well attended opening weekend - saw the major awards handed out, with internationally renown duo Brit Bunkley and Andrea Gardner claiming the $10,000 Supreme Award for their work Cenotaph for a Snail - in remembrance of the slow, the quiet, the small, the indigenous and the endangered.

Gardner told The Lowdown they were "really thrilled and surprised" with their triumph, adding "It is such an honour to be able to show one’s work in such a gorgeous setting. Winning a prize feels like appreciation, encouragement, approval and acknowledgement all at once…all very welcome in the lifelong journey of art making! 

"It’s very affirming to know that others have responded positively to the sculpture, with curiosity and interest. Winning a prize draws more attention to the work; we hope that people will view it and have thought-provoking conversations about land use, history and the small creatures which share New Zealand with us."

Tyler enthuses “We felt this work promoted curiosity and had multiple cultural and historical narratives. This important message about extinction of a species was effectively conveyed.”

The highly coveted Friends of the Gardens Acquisition Award went to Josh and Amelia Olley - meaning their work, Hands Down ($195,000) was purchased by Friends of the Gardens Trust for permanent display at the Auckland Botanic Gardens.

Josh was overwhelmed to discover his and Amelia’s creation will stay on in the iconic garden venue for years to come.

“We make our living solely from making art so this award is hugely meaningful to us.”

The People’s Choice Award is yet to come, with hundreds of smaller sculptural works and domestic ware on display and sale in an indoor exhibition.

SCAPE returns

From the Botanic Gardens to the Garden City - and another much loved and crucial cog in Christchurch's creative eco-system explodes into life this weekend.

Nothing says 'summer's coming' in Ōtautahi more than SCAPE Public Art’s annual season, this year commissioning six new artworks of the seven that will be on display in a walkable, 3.5km art loop for the next 12 weeks.

Executive Director Richard Aindow told The Lowdown "Over the past 26 years that SCAPE's been around - and especially since the earthquakes - the face of Ōtautahi has really shifted. More of the public art now is contemporary and diverse; there's more work by mana whenua artists. 

"When you add more than a dozen extra works into the mix over summer, the city’s creativity becomes really noticeable and celebratory. The joy of public art is that it's accessible at all times at no cost, and is noticeable to people who wouldn't go anywhere near a gallery or performance space."

Managing Curator Tyson Campbell (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Maniapoto) told The Lowdown "I wanted a selection of artists who were intergenerational and who I thought could respond to the conditions of showing in public space, with some extending their gallery practice and others who already have some experience. 

"The Season artists all related to the theme (Material / Immaterial Worlds) through their unique lived experience as people who participate in public life. They have spiritual, gendered, historical and other perspectives that coloud and texturise their response. The theme is ultimately about the spirit of things."

Among those selected, Kulimoe'anga Stone Maka expressed his gratitude in this latest opportunity - Pīngao, a monumental form abstracted from the shape of a pingao seedpod - telling The Lowdown "I'm a painter. I am known as a painter. I didn't see how I could get into public sculpture. SCAPE has helped me get into a different medium through this exhibition and show the public my three-dimensional work."

Stone Maka is one of four Christchurch locals showing off newly commissioned work in this year's SCAPE season, along with  Ngaio Cowell (Ngaati Te Ata Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāti Pourou), Luke Shaw and Julia Holderness, with Ming Ranganui (Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi) and Mike Hewson also in the mix. There's also the South Island debut of Darcell Apelu's Carry Me With You, which has previously been on display at Auckland Art Gallery.

In addition, SCAPE has produced murals by another four Christchurch artists on the outside of Christchurch Casino, while five competition-winning school students will have their art designs turned into reality.

Award worthy

It's a big week for another 32 Aotearoa sculptors too -with the finalists named for the $25,000 RT Nelson Awards for Sculpture. 

There were hundreds of applicants for co-judges - veteran art dealer Hamish McKay and award-winning contemporary jeweller Karl Fritsch - to select from in an unprecedented number of applications. “There were so many exciting and diverse entries by visionary artists – narrowing them down was an extremely difficult task,” explains McKay.

The awards aim to celebrate the diversity of small-scale sculptures, offering art lovers a chance to enjoy intricate, collectible pieces that bring creativity into everyday spaces. There are a number of prizes on offer, with the Premier Award taking home $15,000.

Among those selected are Rotorua carver Tamaora Walker, whose craft developed under the guidance of distinguished carver Lewis Gardiner; Dunedin ceramic artist Madeleine Child who creates whimsical works inspired by popcorn; Auckland artist Monique Lacey who re-imagines the humble cardboard box; and Wellington artist Anton Hart, known for using modern technology to craft sand sculptures.

Levi Hawken is also among the finalists - recently profiled in the The Big Idea's video series.

The finalists' works will be exhibited during the 2025 NZ Art Show in Wellington, held at Wellington’s TSB Arena from (29 May 29- 1 June) - along with a number of other entrants invited to exhibit.

Tree-mendous opportunity

It's an institution in places like Trafalgar Square and the Rockefeller Center - now it's Tāmaki Makaurau is ripping into a new Christmas tradition.

On Saturday (23 November) Auckland will debut Te Manaaki - a giant, 18.4 metre tall Christmas tree illuminating Lower Queen Street with over 10,000 sparkling LED lights, 4,000 vibrant Pōhutukawa flowers, and more than 200 giant baubles.

And in what is hoped to a new annual event, it will in turn to Aotearoa creatives for its inaugural tree-lighting event, MCed by Anika Moa with the vocal talents of Tami Neilson and the Auckland Youth Choir (AYC).

Neilson told The Lowdown “I’m that person that puts up a Christmas tree in November, so I’m very excited to celebrate kicking off the season with my family at the new tree lighting. Having a new Christmas tradition that includes live music in the city is a wonderful idea that not only supports our local businesses and economy but also our local music industry.”

AYC Choir Manager Sam Nicholson told The Lowdown “Performing on a stage like this is an incredibly meaningful opportunity for the Auckland Youth Choir octet, especially in a year that has shone a spotlight on choral singing with the World Choir Games held in Auckland. The octet is thrilled to have a platform to showcase their talent to wider audiences, build confidence, and share in the joy of the festive season. 

"This performance not only celebrates the vibrancy of youth involvement in the arts but also underscores the collective achievements that have made 2024 a remarkable year for choral music in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

With the Auckland's Santa Parade the next day (Sunday 24 November) - there will be plenty of performance to keep the family busy in the city centre.

Guerrillas in the West

Heading further west, and there's another free day of creative energy that should draw plenty of love in Auckland.

The Guerrilla Collection - which made a splash when it debuted back in 2018 - returns from a six year hiatus to bring ‘A Niu Dawn’, described as a one day pocket festival held at Te Pou Theatre and Corban Estate Arts Centre in Henderson on Saturday (23 November).

As the name suggests, the inaugural event was touted for disrupting the way art could be made and shared - with this year's comeback planning to do the same with a collective of Moana Oceania Artists and community groups focused on celebrating their communities' lives in Aotearoa since the Dawn Raids. 

There's a hell of a brains trust running the event - with leadership from Neil Ieremia - who will create a new 30 minute work at A Nui Dawn on Black Grace - Leki Jackson-Bourke handling the main stage programming and Faiumu Matthew Salapu AKA Anonymouz - in charge of the music programming.

Some hugely admired names in the talent section too - renowned actors and directors Anapela Polata’ivao (who had an excellent conversation with RNZ's Kathryn Ryan about her huge year to date) & Vela Manusaute, South Auckland Pacific Dance Theatre Company Sau E Siva Creatives, Pacific Theatre Company Strictly Brown, poet Daren Kamali, Tuvaluan dancer Molia Alama-Tulufono, film-makers Benji Timu and Josiah Tualamalili.

Jackson-Bourke, a multi-disciplinary, creative/performing artist of Niuean, Tongan and Samoan descent, told The Lowdown The Guerilla Collection is "an important platform because it provides a unique opportunity for artists to collaborate with Black Grace. It also brings multiple artists together from different disciplines, which is particularly important because we need more opportunities like this in order to further grow our sector."

 "All artists benefit from access and proximity to proven industry experience," Salapu adds. "I myself can attest to this first hand - having been a commissioned artist myself back in 2018, which was a hugely inspiring experience that I learned a lot from.

"The opportunity for collaboration outside of one's usual circle or creative discipline also helps facilitate the generation of fresh new ideas and perspectives critical to driving innovation forward in our Moana Pasifika art."

Salapu's extraordinarily diverse career and sonic explorations - traversing international experimental avant garde sound art commissions through to award-winning projects within recorded music, theatre, orchestral, dance, urban, film, tv, radio and new media - can be seen in the line-up he's put together 

"Contrast and dynamics are important elements of art," he notes. "From Māori and Tongan singer-songwriters to a full Sāmoan church choir; from traditional Cook Island log drums and ukulele’s to live-looping sampled fangufangu Tongan nose flutes; from bilingual rapping, to an instrumental band trio, to a NZ Pasifika Music pioneer accompanied by a live string quartet, this years music line up aims to proudly showcase the amazing richness and diversity within our Pasifika communities."

Jackson-Bourke's thoroughly impressed with the talent at his disposal too - explaining this cohort of creatives "are all different and each of them are strong in their own respected art forms - from poetry, to dance, to music, to heritage art forms. This year provides a nice spread of representation from different cultures, art forms and ages. A mix of community performers with professionals is also an exciting collaboration to see."

As well as the curated indoor programme of new, original half-hour works by eight different artists, he enthuses "The exciting addition to this year's programme is the kids section which is programmed in the morning and features a workshop by The Pacifica Mamas & Master Drummer John Kiria – In Cook Islands Drumming, a workshop in Fijian Dance by renowned Fijian Choreographer Alipate Traill and a an exciting spin on the traditional legend The Eel And Sina presented as a children's theatre show by Strictly Brown." 

Four times the funding

In an era of seemingly consistent funding cuts - seeing an organisation quadruple the size of the grants it offers needs to be lauded.

The Mātātuhi Foundation has released the first of its bi-annual funding rounds since boosting its grants offerings from $5,000 to $20,000. Not surprisingly, the record funding level drew a diverse collection of projects from writers, community groups, and literary organisations.

Foundation Chair Anne Blackburn states "Our revised funding criteria and increased grant sizes have opened new doors for creativity and collaboration in the literary sector. We're seeing a notable uptick in innovative projects and partnerships that promise to enrich New Zealand's literary landscape. 

"As we look towards 2025, we're optimistic about the potential for even more impactful initiatives. The Mātātuhi Foundation is committed to supporting this positive momentum, fostering connections, and helping to shape a vibrant future for literature in Aotearoa." 

Those given the green light are broken into three caetgories: a trio of Legacy Projects from the NZ Society of Authors, the Hone Tuwhare Charitable Trust and Gigi Fenster; Platform funding from the Coalition for Books to identify, nurture and increase readership and sales for emerging NZ writing talent through the establishment of the New Voices of Aotearoa platform and Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand to extend its Schools Programme into the East Cape and onboard te reo Māori-fluent presenters.

All up, Mātātuhi Foundation has invested more than $400,000 into the literary sector since its 2018 inception by the Auckland Writers Festival, ranging from workshops to websites, podcasts, digital resources, and community projects. Its next funding round will be in May next year.

Local heroes acknowledged

When it comes to unrecognised community legends getting the shine they deserve, it's only fitting the arts shares in the spotlight.

100 New Zealanders have been singled out for what they do for their regions with the Local Hero Awards - ranging from rural and animal advocates to sports and medical campaigners.

Eight of those given the nod have used their creative skills and platforms to make a difference.

The highest profile undoubtedly being Tāme Iti, whose art and acting has become a crucial vehicle in his advocacy for Māori rights.

Iti (Ngai Tūhoe, Te Arawa, Waikato) has used his acclaimed creative endeavours to challenge conventional narratives and provoked thoughtful engagement with New Zealand's complex history. In 2024, he led a powerful hīkoi to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds – where hundreds of supporters dressed in white and bearing white flags marched in a display that was part pōwhiri, part art piece.

One of the tens of thousands who marched to Parliament this week, Iti has never backed down from a challenge.

Standing up for marginalised communities was also a popular trend among the arts recipients. 

Queer visual storyteller and advocate Becki Moss has been singled out for their mahi that focuses on advocating for people with invisible disabilities - a personal kaupapa for Moss as they live with chronic kidney disease, MeCFS and endometriosis.

A NZ Geographic's Photographer of the Year winner, Moss's photography sheds light on underrepresented groups within the LGBTQIA+ and disabled communities and their work has been acquired by Te Papa. Moss also hosts events at Auckland Pride that celebrate those who are in the rainbow community who are also disabled.

Eryn Gribble was made a Local Hero for dedication to community welfare through inclusion and creativity. 

Among many causes, she founded Opportunity Arts in 2018, supporting and empowering artists facing barriers – such as disabilities – to develop individual, sustainable arts practices.

Charlotte Nightingale is similarly driven, as co-founder and Artistic Director of Glass Ceilings Arts Collective - a theatre company dedicated to empowering people with disabilities. She creates opportunities for children and adults to perform on stage and in film, breaking societal barriers and redefining perceptions of disability, offering classes around the country.

Being a neurodivergent person, Nightingale is passionate about her ethos that everyone deserves a chance to enjoy the performing arts, regardless of their abilities – and hundreds of lives have been positively impacted as a result.

Mental health is a hugely recognised topic among the Local Hero medalists. It's a driving force for playwright and actor Rob Mokaraka (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tūhoe), who travels the country to support communities affected by suicide.

After struggling with depression, Mokaraka had a near-fatal encounter with police in 2009 which became the inspiration for his one-man theatre show, Shot Bro – Confessions of a Depressed Bullet, designed to raises awareness of the complexities of mental health, encouraging others to speak up and seek help.

Radio broadcaster Bryce Casey is much more than a funny man on The Rock - he uses his platform and humour to tackle many previously taboo breakfast radio issues like suicide and has become a high profile mental health advocate. raising over a million dollars for I Am Hope.

Peta Spooner - founder of the Peta Spooner Academy of Dance and The Wakatu Dance Theatre Trust - has dedicated over 55 years to teaching the art of dance to thousands of children and serving her community - in many cases multiple generations of the same family.

Her dance studio serves as a hub for local community groups, including Pilates, Yoga, Mum & Bub's, and the Giving Aroha' initiative, which provides meals for the homeless. Spooner's belief that "every child deserves to shine on stage" has shaped generations of dancers, and Peta has nurtured lifelong bonds with her students and their families.

Well-known author and podcaster Emily Writes rounds out the list of creatives recognised for using her undeniable writing talents to speak up for a number of communities that are often under-supported. Her mahi often focusses on raising awareness about autism or championing parents across Aotearoa - all driven by a desire for positive change. 

While all eight of these creatives deserve their moment in the spotlight, they'll face some stiff competition to make the semi-final list when all seven of the New Zealander of the Year categories are announced next month.

Talents of Toss

Toss Woollaston needs no introduction to arts lovers - and he's had no shortage of exhibitions - especiallt for his signature and era-defining landscapes. 

But the late legendary New Zealand artist is back in the spotlight for his groundbreaking portrait work with Toss Woollaston: Figures from Life at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (21 November - 9 February).

In all, it contains nearly 60 of Woollaston's innovative portraits, including his 1936 work Figures from Life, which is heralded by art historian Jill Trevelyan as “arguably New Zealand’s first modernist portrait”. 

Gallery director Jaenine Parkinson states, “This exhibition repositions Woollaston as a modern portraitist of equal stature to his landscape work. His radical experimentation and commitment to capturing the essence of his subjects, without flattery, laid the groundwork for a new approach to portraiture in Aotearoa.”

Philip Woollaston helped select the exhibition works from over six decades of his father's figure drawings and portraits. “He aimed to capture a natural unselfconsciousness in his subjects, the antithesis of traditional portraiture with its emphasis on decorum. He saw no meaningful distinction between people and landscapes as subject matter and with its focus on his portraiture, this exhibition addresses the imbalance in how his work is perceived and celebrated.”

Comic legacy fulfilled

Creative lives being cut short is always hard for those who love them to take - but their legacy can live on.

Friends of the late comic artist Dean Ballinger have honoured his passion for drawing by publishing two volumes of his eclectic graphic storytelling.

Ballinger - one of the men credited for coming up with the moniker 'Hamiltron' or 'the 'Tron' for his beloved Hamilton in the late '90s as a radio host - died at age 48 after battling Motor Neurone Disease.

But two years on, the many cartoon strips and comic zines he produced over more than two decades have been lovingly put together, ranging in style from imaginative new mythology and gonzo sci-fi, to conceptual art jokes and ‘too much for some’ toilet humour.

One of the graphic novels - the 116-page full colour OHU - sees three quirky friends on a quest across a psychedelic Waikato.

Ballinger began working on OHU in 2014, with Aaron Christiansen then working with him on the art over the last year of his life.

Christiansen reflects “OHU blends Dean’s love for nature, history, and deep cultural connections into a unique, surreal and captivating story.

“I see doing this as honouring his vision and ensuring his final work is shared with everyone. Finishing OHU hasn’t been just about completing a project—it has been about keeping Dean’s voice alive on the page."