In the heart of wine country, Hastings is a place of many layers. From its Art Deco heritage to its working class roots, and an ever-evolving arts scene, there’s layer upon layer to discover in this small city with a big soul.
A cultural hub, it is home to sought after craft breweries, wine bars and eateries, and a rich and diverse streetscape where you’ll find the work of up-and-coming and established artists, and a host of temporary installations; dotted in between are boutique retailers and art galleries. Wander through the laneways of the beautifully renovated ToiToi Municipal Building and inner city, and you could be in Melbourne, Wellington, or perhaps Valencia.
There’s a hum to these streets, underpinned by the distinctive Art Deco facades, a revitalised town centre, and a strong sense of local identity served with a dash of Kiwi know-how and a buoyant character.
This feature was curated in partnership with Hastings District Council.
Toitoi
There’s nothing quite like the joy of live events set in beautiful heritage buildings, so if you want to experience the wonder of the incredible Toitoi Opera House, which was built in 1915 and designed by Henry Eli White, or the modern industrial aesthetic of Functions on Hastings, check out their upcoming events, from international comedians and musicians, to national performing arts icons and talented locals.
Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre is the centre of Hastings’ incredible performing arts precinct.
Ākina
A newcomer to the Hastings art scene, ĀKINA is the brainchild of local wāhine Māori, Sacha Miriama van den Berg. “Te Matau-a-Māui, Heretaunga proud, ĀKINA celebrates a distinctly Hastings vibe while embracing wider Aotearoa and the Pacific,” Sacha tells us. Departing from traditional gallery behaviours and perceptions, ĀKINA is on a mission to explore and develop what it is to be a contemporary gallery in an ever changing landscape. These three upcoming exhibitions promise to do just that.
Pacific Sisters
Pacific Sisters is a photographic exhibition by Vivienne Haldane. Vivienne’s best-known photographs chronicle the Pacific Sisters, one of Aotearoa’s most influential Māori and Pacifika artistic and fashion collectives of the 90s. The collective is an integral part of New Zealand’s indigenous and mainstream art history, an ever-evolving group working collaboratively across fashion, performance, music, and film. Pictured: Nephi Tupaea and Clinton Povey, Auckland Domain, 1993
Nephi Tupaea
Nephi Tupaea is a long standing member of the Pacific Sisters and a fresh graduate of Toimairangi Te Wananga o Aotearoa. For her inaugural solo show at ĀKINA, she presents a series of paintings that depict her journey of healing, forgiveness and enlightenment. Image: Nephi Tupaea
Of this Place
Of this Place is a body of work that draws on a distinct place. Artist Pip Davies lives on the stones of Haumoana, Te Matau-a-Māui which forms a foundational element throughout the map-based work and various vessel forms. Through a personal exploration of material and process, a new relationship is found between formal structure and organic form. Image: Pip Davies
