Keirunga proudly presents … 

A major art exhibition featuring the art works of fifty+ established Hawke’s Bay artists, with a Gala Auction Evening sponsored by Harcourts, takes place during the last weekend of the Hawke’s Bay Art Festival. 

The exhibition and auction will be in the Function Centre in Havelock North. Gala Auction tickets will go on sale from 1 August.

Artists are donating work in a supportive gesture to the Keirunga Gardens Arts and Crafts Society to help generate the funds needed to complete the building of an onsite gallery in the beautiful Keirunga Gardens community arts venue in Havelock North.

Keirunga has been in recovery mode since the disastrous 2016 fire, dealing with the rebuild of the damaged theatre and repairs to the artists’ studio funded by the insurance payout and other grants. But the Keirunga members have had a long held dream to build a gallery in which members and others can exhibit their work.

The proposed state-of-the-art gallery will showcase Keirunga’s artists and artisans with regular exhibitions and shows, while showcasing what Keirunga really is, what it does and what it offers to the community – raising awareness of Keirunga’s creative facility and attracting new members of all ages.

Although the exhibition and auction are being held at the Function Centre in the village, Keirunga itself will be open to visitors with their Open Studios Weekend where the Keirunga groups are represented, along with Secondary School students from nine of the region’s schools. It is hoped that a theatre production will also be staged.

Brenda Haldane the organiser of the fundraiser, sees this as a very significant event for Keirunga. “A large fundraiser for Keirunga such as this hasn’t been done before,” she says. “It’s very exciting that so many Hawke’s Bay artists are backing the event. Some are very well known and iconic New Zealand artists, many of whom live here and some in areas outside of Hawke’s Bay, including one from the UK and her work has already arrived.” (The list of artists’ names to be announced prior to the event).

Besides throwing open Keirunga’s doors to the interested public, Mrs Haldane feels certain that recognised artists’ names will attract art buyers, collectors, writers, gallerists and the growing art market of younger homemakers with empty walls and cravings for new art.

“If we raise enough money to complete our new gallery we’ll be holding twice-yearly exhibitions at Keirunga and providing space for other individuals and groups for a hireage fee – a much-needed source of added income for the functioning of the Society,” Brenda says.

The Keirunga Fundraising Art Exhibition and Gala Auction Weekend will be held in the Function Centre, Havelock North, 27-28-29 October, 10-4 daily. The Auction itself will take place in the Function Centre on Friday 28^th October, starting at 6.30pm. Gala Auction ticketing link https://www.keirunga.org.nz/event/keirunga-art-build-fundraising-art-auction/