Arts

Te Kupenga-ā-toi in its second year continues to be a Wairoa initiative that staunchly builds a network for our local artists to create a system that encourages artists and art groups locally, regionally, and nationally around the arts, with the arts and for the arts.

The name ‘Te Kupenga’ was adopted from the local proverbial saying, Te Kupenga-a-Te Huki – The setting of Te Huki’s net. The proverb reflects on the diplomatic networking skills of our Kahungunu ancestor, Te Huki. He strategically married into three hapū across Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay, and then also married his children into prominent hapū within those areas. This strategy not only formed and strengthened alliances but also built a mass network that reached across four hundred kilometres. He was the ‘Social Network’ mogul of his time.

There are those that whakapapa to Wairoa, and those that have made Wairoa their home. Our artists that present themselves on many platforms continue to surprise and elevate the local art scene, last year four artists were selected to represent Hawke’s Bay, our region, as “artists of choice” for local and national government.

Te Kupenga-ā-toi Arts Exhibition, 2022, 2023 and 2024 hosted by ADARA with Wairoa Taiwhenua, is a way for us to show our local artists that they are SME businesses and to understand the processes of sales and marketing, sales transactions and customer relationships.