Expression of Interest for Te Ara i Whiti 2022

Expression of Interest is now closed!

Open Date: Friday April 1 2022
Closing Date: Monday 18 April 2022 at 12PM

Te Ara I Whiti:

Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival is a festival with a difference. It’s an event uniquely focused on inclusion, access and authenticity, designed to use the arts to explore what it means to be of Te Tairāwhiti.

Te Ara i Whiti is an interactive visual arts experience primarily composed of illuminated installations and sculptural works influenced and led by mātauranga Māori.

In 2022 Te Ara i Whiti will align with the seasonal celebration of Matariki, exploring and expressing what that means for us here in Te Tairāwhiti.

Situated in Tūranga-nui-ā-Kiwa/ Gisborne along the Taruheru, Te Ara i Whiti is a free event for whānau to enjoy.

SEEKING ARTISTS AND CREATIVES – EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival is calling for proposals from artists who have a connection to Te Tairāwhiti and are interested in participating in Te Ara i Whiti during June/July 2022.

Key considerations:

  • If you are an emerging or practising artist in installation and sculptural mahi or can you adapt your current practice to this.
  • How your mahi toi incorporates a mātauranga Māori approach.
  • Your willingness to apply mahi toi to a collaborative space to inform the collective vision
  • How does your mahi toi consider light? (Day/ Night)
  • How does your work consider Te Taiao?

Other important things to think about

  • How your work will respond to the outdoor environment (sun, wind, rain…)
  • The public interaction
  • The logistics (weight, engineering, storage..)
  • The time frame (how long will it take to create/ build/ fabricate)
  • What assistance will you need (technical or otherwise) to create this work
  • Your budget – do you have a reasonable/realistic idea of what this work will cost to create
  • Communication and collaboration are key!

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel including guest curator Melanie Tangaere-Baldwin, Chief Executive/ Artistic Director – Tama Waipara and artist Erena Koopu⁠. If you are shortlisted, you will need to do a verbal presentation for the panel by video call (zoom) on Wednesday 20 April. 

Submit your interest by 12pm midday, Monday 18 April – APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival is hosting an online session for those who are eager to submit an EOI for Te Ara i Whiti 2022 on 11 April at 5:30PM. You can register here.

Aerial view of the Te Ara i Whiti 2021 to help you understand the space and scope:


Important Dates (subject to change):

  • April 1 EOI Opens
  • April 11: Online wānanga to assist with submissions
  • April 18: EOI Closes
  • April 20: Video presentations (if shortlisted)
  • April 21: Te Ara i Whiti 2022 artists notified
  • May 6 – 8: 2 day wānanga (for selected artists)
  • May 2 – May 19: 1 on 1 Zoom with TTAF creative team
  • May 19: Concepts finalized
  • May 20 – June 22: Production