Tuia 250 Whitianga Street Art
Whitianga Central Business District
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FREE ENTRY
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To contribute to the national Tuia - Encounters 250 commemoration Mercury Bay Art Escape held a community street art festival in central Whitianga in 2019. Te Whanganui a Hei (Mercury Bay) has great seafaring significance as this is where the great navigator Kupe visited many centuries ago and in 1769 was one of four landing sites for Cook’s ship The Endeavour.
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The theme of each mural depicts either navigation or relate to the First Encounters coming together of Maori and European in Te Whanganui a Hei (Mercury Bay). Click here for the full list of artists and further information.
Download the Street Art Map and Guide giving details of the Street Artists and locations.
This Street Art project involves Mercury Bay Art Escape artists including their patron Artist Michael Smither and popular street artists from the Coromandel, Auckland and Hamilton together with internationally renowned street artists Charles & Janine Williams, and TrustMe & Flox.
The theme of each mural depicts either navigation or relate to the First Encounters coming together of Maori and European in Te Whanganui a Hei (Mercury Bay).
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List of Artists - Tuia 250 Whitianga Street Art Festival:
Mercury Bay Art Escape (MBAE): Michael D Smither, Monique Rush, Anne Bowden, Peter Nicholson and Dave Fowell.
Coromandel: Catlin Moloney
Auckland: Charles and Janine Williams and Flox X TrustMe Collaboration
Hamilton: Pauly B
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This festival was made possible with funding from Lottery Tuia – Encounters 250 grants with Te Whanganui a Hei Mercury 250 Trust and the generous support of the artists and landowners involved.
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Sponsorship from Resene, Gordon Harris, The Warehouse Whitianga, Peninsula Scaffolding, Placemakers Whitianga, Hire Worx, New World Whitianga, The Lost Spring, Glass Bottom Boat Cathedral Cove and Donavon & Sons Contractor.
Administrative support from Creative Waikato and Thames Coromandel District Council - Mercury Bay Community Board.
Support from local businesses Blue Ginger, Bread & Butter Gallery, Coastal Signs, Coghill Café , Dreamland Design, Espy Café, French Fig Cafe, Hahei Explorer, Harbour House Café, Hula Café, Mercury Bay Pharmacy, Snapper Jacks, Subway, The Pour House Hahei, Umino Hoshi Sushi and the Whitianga Butchery.
Many thanks to the official photographer Sharon Wright
