After a comprehensive two-year closure and transformation, Toi Tauranga Art Gallery is set to reopen its doors on November 15, presenting visitors with a completely reimagined experience that emphasizes local and indigenous creativity. The Bay of Plenty's only publicly funded regional art gallery has undergone extensive renovations to create fresh exhibition spaces, improved accessibility features, and a renewed commitment to showcasing Māori and Pacific Islander art alongside contemporary works.
The gallery's transformation begins at the entrance, where visitors are now welcomed through a new Masonic Park entryway featuring the Mauri Stones – an impressive installation consisting of a large piece of pounamu (New Zealand jade) and two pieces of obsidian sourced from Tuhūa (Mayor Island), all resting in water. This interactive installation serves as an invitation for visitors to connect, touch, and begin their artistic journey. The redesigned entrance has been strategically reoriented to face the city's emerging cultural precinct, creating better integration with future cultural developments.
"It means the gallery now opens up onto the precinct," explained gallery director Sonya Korohina. "When the library opens next year and the museum in 2028, visitors will be able to move seamlessly between them." This strategic positioning reflects the gallery's vision of becoming a central hub in Tauranga's expanding cultural landscape.
The renovated facility features several significant improvements, including a new gallery store that exclusively showcases regional artists, designers, and makers. "When you visit another city, you want to buy something from the region," Korohina noted. "We've championed as much from around the Bay of Plenty as possible." Additional enhancements include a dedicated creativity center for school programs and community workshops, the new Meldrum Gallery exhibition space, and comprehensive accessibility features such as large-font wall texts, noise-cancelling headphones, and magnifying glasses.
A significant addition to the visitor experience is Breadhead, a café operated by Brent and Kate Beamish, located adjacent to the gallery. This creates what Korohina describes as "a much more pleasant experience – people can spend time in the gallery, have coffee, and return for more." The café represents the gallery's commitment to creating a welcoming, community-centered environment.
The reopening features an impressive array of exhibitions that highlight both traditional and contemporary artistic expressions. The centerpiece exhibition is "Whakairo," a large-scale augmented reality installation by Kereama Taepa of Tauranga Moana. Using cutting-edge AR technology, Taepa explores the origins of Māori carving, drawing inspiration from the way larvae burrow through wood. "For our people, carving is about emulating the worm," Korohina explained. "You'll see those movements come to life through your phone or one of our devices."
Taepa's innovative work occupies the Craigs Investment Partners Gallery (formerly the Atrium), where it's displayed alongside both historical and contemporary pieces, including "Amo," a significant carving from the 1884 wharenui Tamapahore. The cultural narrative continues with nearby exhibitions featuring works by Matthew Harris, Tyrone Te Waa, and Kaylene Whiskey, all exploring themes of cultural inheritance and identity.
Upstairs in the Glausiuss Gallery, visitors can explore "Old Friends," an exhibition curated by Dr. Penelope Jackson that revisits Toi Tauranga Art Gallery's own collection of portraiture. This thoughtfully curated show features works by distinguished artists including Mark Braunias, Edward Bullmore, Nigel Brown, Vanessa Reed, Robin White, Venetta Miles, Doreen McNeill, and Betty Wishart, highlighting decades of artistic evolution and personal connection within New Zealand's art community.
The new Meldrum Gallery makes its debut with "Glimmer," a contemporary jewelry exhibition featuring works by Vanessa Arthur, Moniek Schrijer, and Australia's Meredith Turnbull. "We're using it because it's an intimate space, to show design work," Korohina said. "And in this instance, jewelry." This specialized space allows for detailed viewing of intricate artistic works that require closer examination.
The gallery's long upstairs corridor hosts "Lanu Mamanu – Colourful Patterns," showcasing the work of 87-year-old Samoan painter Pusi Urale, renowned for her vibrant pointillist style that combines colorful Samoan patterns with abstract figures. Displayed alongside her mother's work are pieces by daughter Vaimaila Urale, who offers a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Samoan patterns using computer keyboard symbols, creating a fascinating dialogue between tradition and modernity.
At the far end of the gallery, "Land of My Ancestors" by Darcy Nicholas presents an extraordinary survey spanning nearly six decades of artistic practice. This comprehensive exhibition features drawings, paintings, carvings, and jewelry that explore themes of Māori identity, land, and memory, offering visitors insight into the evolution of indigenous artistic expression over more than half a century.
A unique feature of the reopened gallery is "Closet History," a whimsical art treasure hunt designed for both children and adults by Tania Lewis-Rickard and Tawhai Rickard. Lightboxes and miniature sculptures are cleverly hidden within the building's walls, creating what Korohina describes as "enchanting and curious scenes ready to be discovered." This interactive element adds an element of surprise and engagement throughout the visitor experience.
The gallery's programming philosophy emphasizes diversity and inclusion, with exhibitions planned 18 to 24 months in advance using what Korohina calls "a large matrix" designed to balance media, culture, perspectives, and artists' career stages. "Sometimes visitors will find something that challenges them, and sometimes they'll find something they love," she explained. "Over time, there's something for everyone."
Accessibility has been a paramount concern in the renovation, with features including large text displays, quiet spaces, and comprehensive sensory support. Visitors can access exhibition audio guides online while exploring the galleries, and the new creativity center offers workshops for all ages, ensuring the gallery serves the entire community.
Beyond its role as an exhibition space, Toi Tauranga will function as a multipurpose venue for special occasions, product launches, and corporate gatherings, expanding its community impact. "We're really excited to reopen," Korohina said. "We have a new team, new spaces, and we'll recalibrate as we go along, to ensure things work well."
The reopening marks a significant milestone for a city increasingly recognized for its creative energy. "We've got great spaces like The Incubator and Matter Gallery," Korohina noted, "and Toi Tauranga offers another level." The gallery closed in October 2023 for renovations that could have taken much longer, making the two-year timeline a remarkable achievement. "I'm really grateful we could reopen after two years," Korohina reflected. "It's like rediscovering an old friend. When you reacquaint yourself with an old friend, everything's familiar and some things feel like they've changed as well."
Toi Tauranga Art Gallery will operate seven days a week from 10am to 4pm, except on certain public holidays, welcoming the community back to this transformed cultural destination that promises to serve as a vital hub for artistic expression and cultural exchange in the Bay of Plenty region.
