Arts Fest: South Taranaki District Council's festival returns to district

Arts Fest South Taranaki celebrates the arts throughout the district.

Arts Fest South Taranaki returns this month to celebrate the arts throughout the district.

Running alongside the popular regional garden festivals, South Taranaki District Council introduced Arts Fest in 2017 to showcase the people, places, spaces and artistic wealth in its area.

The festival features a diverse range of exhibitions, pop-ups and events and workshops will offer local communities and visitors' opportunities to engage in the visual and performing arts.

Arts Fest also features the annual Ronald Hugh Literary Morrieson Awards in Hāwera and the Taranaki National Art Awards in Ōpunakē.

The awards exhibition at Sandfords Events Centre will feature more than 350 artworks in seven sections, offering the chance to view and buy diverse works by New Zealand artists.

Exhibitions at community and public galleries include Tales and Taonga at Aotea Utanganui - Museum of South Taranaki in Pātea and A World of Stitches at Lysaght Watt Gallery in Hāwera.

Pop-up venues for the festival include the unique experience of visiting artists in their studios, live mural painting at the Hāwera Town Square and a collective of artists at the seaside village of Ōhawe.

The Great Ōpūnake Yarn Bomb is returning to the main street, and will be bigger and brighter this year. Everybody's Theatre in Ōpūnake will host the RESET festival show, Cringe Worthy and Hāwera Repertory present their season of the play God of Carnage. An open day at the South Taranaki Creative Space offers a chance to sign up for art classes and other opportunities.

Arts Fest workshops include botanical art, photography and hanging baskets.

"Arts Fest offers a chance for people to engage in the arts in our awesome small towns while touring around the mountain. The festival is a forum for artists to showcase their talents and skills under the umbrella of regional creativity," says South Taranaki District Council arts co-ordinator, Michaela Stoneman.

Arts Fest South Taranaki runs from October 28 to November 7. For more information visit www.artsfestst.co.nz. A printed brochure is available from South Taranaki LibraryPlus, i-Sites, galleries and can be downloaded from the website.