Waitākere Arts has been putting on an art awards exhibition for The West for an incredible 39 years, and entries for the 2026 edition are now open!
Waitākere Arts exists to back local creatives. Not just the ones with gallery representation and a CV as long as your arm, but the people making work at the kitchen table, in the garage, in a shared studio, or in the odd hour they can carve out between work and whānau. The Art Awards Exhibition is the moment each year when all of that work comes out into the light.
Entries come in from artists who have been showing for decades and from people hanging a piece publicly for the very first time. Painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, mixed media, the lot. There is no single style or subject that defines it, which is exactly why it ends up being such a good snapshot of what is going on creatively across our suburbs.
We are proud to sponsor this kaupapa, art is not a nice-to-have out here. It is how people tell their stories, find their people and see themselves reflected in the place they live. For rangatahi in particular, seeing local work on a wall is a quiet signal that making things is something people like them actually do and opens up career pathways.
Entries close on 20 September. The entry fee is $15 for Waitākere Arts members, or $25 for non-members.
Learn more about Waitākere Arts at waitakerearts.com or follow them on Facebook.
If you or your organisation could use support from The Trusts, find out how to apply at thetrusts.co.nz/our-funds.
