The Little Gallery to open in Whangamata!

  • 17 September 2017
  • Sarah Holden

Whangamata is set to get an art gallery this November with the Tairua based Little Gallery opening a new premises in the Port Road shopping strip.

The gallery will operate on a cooperative basis with a team of artists working together to produce artwork, manage the gallery, and provide visitors with a piece of the local culture.

It will showcase the work of over 50 Coromandel and New Zealand artists, working across a range of media including painting, prints, pottery, sculpture and jewellery.
 


Gallery owner Sarah Holden says the new gallery will provide a touch point for visitors to engage with the vibrant creative culture of the local community.

“The Little Gallery Whangamata will be a hub where visitors and holidaymakers can engage with our artists. We’ve got lots of exhibitions and events in the pipeline that we’re excited for everyone to be a part of,” says Holden.

“We believe the addition of a gallery to the town will contribute to the fabric of the community, adding an exciting cultural dimension to a town known for its welcoming atmosphere and laid back lifestyle,” she says.

Holden says Whangamata is an ideal location, with many of the artists already living in or connected to the area.

Joanne Mahoney, a long-term volunteer and artist at The Little Gallery, and a resident of Whangamata since 1996, will be a part of the new gallery’s managing team.

“Whangamata is definitely missing a gallery. There is a strong community of artists here as well as a local arts collective, but there has been nowhere locally to exhibit work,” says Mahoney.

“In Tairua we have regularly held new exhibitions and talks which have worked well. I think the new gallery will definitely boost our community here.”
 

The new Little Gallery will be located in Shop 3, 427 Port Road, and will exhibit a diverse offering of modern and contemporary art, with styles ranging from abstract to realism.

It will be open from 1 November in time for the Summer season, providing a new attraction for visitors and residents. The gallery invites the community to celebrate and see the art for themselves at the grand opening event - more details to come soon! 

 

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