Closing its doors but ‘this is not the end of Miharo’

ANOTHER VICTIM OF COVID: Miharo Gallery director Rosie Cruddas (left), with intern Ruby Malcolm, has decided to close the gallery just a year after the financial impact of Covid on business. However, she sees it as an opportunity to evolve into something else. Picture by Liam Clayton

Tairawhiti artists and supporters have enjoyed Miharo Gallery as a hub for events and exhibitions but the impact of the Covid-19 alert responses has taken its toll.

Little more than a year after opening, the gallery is to close its doors.

Gallery director Rosie Cruddas, however, sees an opportunity for Miharo to evolve into something else.

“After Covid-19, business has become quite slow and with these levels going up and down, they've had an impact on people's spending.

“I've pushed to keep Miharo open and have exhausted my own finances.”

But Miharo is a community and a store is not needed to continue that community, says Cruddas.

“The main thing is people love our events. Lots of people come to them but the gallery is not sustainable.

“We'll close the store and throughout the year will be big collaborative events in different locations so we don't have these overheads sucking up the money.”

Miharo's auction nights and exhibition openings at the gallery attracted crowds so big, people spilled out on to the footpath.

One advantage of pop-up events in various venues is they can be held in more spacious venues to accommodate everyone, says Cruddas.

“Our events have outgrown the necessity for a store. They're always at full capacity. You can't run an event if you can't move.

“The events will be the same as we have at the gallery but times 10.”

Miharo Gallery's upcoming dream-themed exhibition has been cancelled but an exhibition of Thomas Henry Bloomfield's work opens on March 26, and an auction of artwork on April 2 will be the gallery's last event.

Swash, Cruddas's recently-opened fashion store next door to Miharo, will also close but trade will continue in online sales, distribution to other stores and pop-up shops when possible.

Information about upcoming pop-up events and new developments will be posted on Miharo's Facebook page and Instagram.

“This is not the end of Miharo,” says Cruddas. “Our store is closing but the community we've created and our events will continue.”