Northland is always a top destination for Kiwi and overseas visitors during our long, hot summer. We want everyone to have the holiday of a lifetime, not just sunning themselves on our beaches, but also enjoying what our thriving creative community has on offer.

While you can find the majority of Northland galleries and art events in the Northland Art Guide released in October, there are others that will feature in the 2018 edition. For example, the Creative Industries Award winners at the 2017 Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards, Memory Lane Gallery in the centre of Whangarei and Steve Hayward Master Jeweller at the Town Basin. South of the city, Meraki Gallery in Ruakaka and Gutry Art Gallery in One Tree Point, both exhibit work by local Bream Bay artists. In Kamo, Jessie Rose has a new gallery and, north of Kamo, you can't go past the Hikurangi Art Station for an eclectic range of Northland art.

When you head further North, Te Pu o Te Wheke Arts is right in the centre of Kaikohe and, in Ahipara, Roma Gallery is open throughout summer selling work they've spent all winter creating. Over in Dargaville, Flax and Fibre sell harakeke that they have grown, prepared, dyed and weaved on-site.

Event wise, the Quarry Art Centre have their Summer Do on January 8 and Northland Anniversary weekend is jam-packed with events, including the Ngapuhi Festival on Saturday January 27 at Toll Stadium, which will also be the home to the Toi Ngapuhi exhibition running from Thursdsay 25 to Saturday 28. The One Tree Point Art and Craft Working Exhibition is on Saturday and Sunday at One Tree Point and Medieval Madness is at Kiwi North on Sunday.

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Creative Northland is excited to bring you ArtBeat 2018 on Saturday February 3 from 10am-4pm at Cafler Park in Whangarei. This is Whangarei's largest interactive arts festival where you can create all day and be entertained for FREE. Come along, listen to the continuous entertainment on stage and have a laugh with MC Luke Bird or drop the kids off at the Resene Interactive Zone and Plus Chartered Accountants Fairy Grotto while you shop at one of the 50+ stalls selling delicious food, local art and craft.

With so much to do this summer, there's no excuse not to be inspired and get creative.