Northland CollaboratioNZ art auction raises the most money ever

Artist Andrea Hopkins opens the auction up for bidding at the Hihiaua Cultural Centre. Photo / Michael Cunningham.

A Whangārei collaborative art event which allows artists to create new pathways for their work has raised a whopping $69,500 this year - the most they’ve ever raised.

More than 260 collaborative art items were sold, made by artists from all around the world and New Zealand, at an auction in Whangārei during CollaboratioNZ 2023 on Saturday.

The bi-annual event provides the 70 participating artists with a chance to explore new mediums and connect with some different creative minds.

Artists from across the world including France, the US, UK, Canada, Hawaii and Australia gathered in Whangārei to share and learn new skills.

The seven-day marathon of creativity concluded with a well-attended “no-reserve” auction of every artwork at the Hihiaua Cultural Centre on Saturday.

CollaboratioNZ chairman Steve Haywood said the new partnering with the Hihiaua Cultural Centre for the first time was a vital shift in the environment for the team.

“It’s really important to us, you know, arts partnering with arts,” Haywood said.

The attendees get to grow their art practice whilst working with other artists to produce unexpected art pieces in a new setting.

“The goal of the event is really to enable artists to further their artist approach to their work.

“Most artists work in isolation, so being able to work with others and try things they’ve never tried before ... is a big thing.”

He said groups of artists from the mediums of metal, wood, glass, ceramics, fibre, paint, and print work together to create one vision.

The creative process took place this year at a beachfront location in Whangārei Heads.

The initiative is funded by the selling of the work at the end process at auction, where the artists are onsite to talk about the inspiration behind each piece.

“The best way you can support your local artists is by buying their art,” Haywood said.

Proceeds are used solely to pay expenses and to fund the next event, CollaboratioNZ is run by a charitable trust made up of local artists who donate their time to organise and run the event.