Salem Mahia performed at Verve Cafe on Gladstone Rd. Photo / Anne-Marie de Bruin
Gisborne’s streets are set to amplify local musical talent this summer, with a series of street-side gigs scheduled to be placed in front of hospitality venues.
Artwork in the city centre will also continue to pop up, as part of the “Art in the City” council-supported initiative.
Council city centre revitalisation programme manager De-Arne Sutherland says the free Downtown Lounge events will create “a lively place to gather and linger in the city” and “an opportunity to tune into some epic local talent”.
As part of the city centre revitalisation plan, the council was supporting external contractors to deliver “Downtown Lounge” and “Art in the city”.
The council also had a city centre heritage building facade fund to encourage city centre building owners to maintain their buildings.
The “downtown lounge” series kicked off at the beginning of the month outside Siduri Bar.
It had its second event last Thursday, outside Verve Cafe, where teenage musician and 2025 Play It Strange national songwriting winner, Salem Mahia, performed.
People can find the “Downtown Lounge” schedule on the council’s website, which describes the musical acts, which range from bands and solo artists to DJs.
The next event will be held outside Forty 10 cafe on January 15 at 11am.
Sutherland said the council’s role was to support the promotion of the initiative, encourage people into the city and support retailers and eateries.
Another council project as part of the city centre revitalisation was the “Art in the City” initiative.
Sutherland said this aims to transform empty shop windows and spaces into vibrant showcases for local art.
It also provided visibility to buildings in the city centre that were available for rent or sale, she said.
So far, art has included a collaboration between the Hospice Shop and the Tairāwhiti Environment Centre, dressing up a Peel St shop window.
A tiny gallery had also popped up outside the Peel St entrance of the H.B. Williams Memorial Library, created by Steph Barnett.
Barnett, who is an art and design tutor at the Idea School at Gisborne’s Eastern Institute of Technology, collaborated with the SPCA for the first tiny gallery.
“Emerging artists” from an Idea course created illustrations of dogs and cats waiting to be rehomed, Barnett said.
The tiny gallery lent itself well to emerging artists as a non-intimidating entry point to exhibiting.
“I thought this was perfect for people starting out, and I love that. I still very much feel like an emerging artist myself,” Barnett said.
It was nice to seek out opportunities to support people on their journeys, she said.
There would be six exhibitions over the year, with the tiny gallery switching up every two months.
The second tiny gallery currently on display features handmade and hand-painted sculptural snails created by Year 10 Campion College students, with the message “slow down” written on the glass.
Barnett said this time of year was such a crazy time and the small snails were to encourage people to be grounded, slow down and “notice something small and beautiful.”
It was also a way of encouraging reflection and creativity during the commercialisation of Christmas and a reminder that something small and handmade was really special too, she said.
The next emerging artist to exhibit in the tiny gallery would be Kami Rave, who would be creating lino cuts.
Sutherland said there were three more “Art in the City” installations to be installed between now and February.
Three artists had been shortlisted from an expression of interest process and were currently developing their pieces.
Additionally, there were two school projects planned for February/March, with art installations planned for vacant shop windows, Sutherland said.
She said as a direct result of community feedback, the council was also encouraging city centre building owners to care for their buildings through the Heritage Building Facade Fund.
The council’s role was to administer the fund, approve or decline applications based on criteria, manage contracts, distribute funding and ensure work was completed.
“Funding applications close October 1, 2026, or while funding lasts,” Sutherland said.
As part of the application, applicants were asked to provide a mock-up of the facade.
So far, the council had approved one application, with painting of the building to be completed mid-late March.
The council had contributed $25,000 to the heritage fund, $13,000 for art in the city, and $12,000 for the downtown lounge, with additional funding provided by Trust Tairāwhiti, she said.
The City Centre Revitalisation initiative is being led by Trust Tairāwhiti, partnered with Gisborne District Council and the Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust.
Trust Tairāwhiti chief executive Doug Jones said that the focus for Catalyst Initiative partners in 2026 would “be on delivery”.
This included rolling out placemaking initiatives that brought “more life, activity and connection” into the city centre.
They would also continue to advance city centre property investments, which meant progressing developments that support long-term regeneration, attract people back into the city and help unlock further private investment, Jones said.