Dear Keirunga Members and Friends,
The Keirunga Board is currently working towards an exciting major fundraising and showcase event to be held Friday 28th – Saturday 29th October 2022.
Plans have been quietly proceeding over the last few months to open the studios at Keirunga and also stage an art exhibition and auction – here are the details of what is happening.
It is felt that this is the right time to address Stage 3 of the Keirunga post fire rebuild programme. A major fundraiser such as this, will enable the proposed new Gallery/Workshop plans to be progressed and also it is an opportunity for the membership to unite in showcasing and promoting Keirunga Creative Arts Venue to not only the community and the region but the wider world.
One of the events planned, is a Keirunga Fundraising Art Exhibition and Gala Evening Auction to be held at the Function Centre, Havelock North on Friday 28th – Saturday 29th October 2022. These dates will take in the final weekend of the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival which will add to the atmosphere of the occasion. The theme for this auction event is “Celebrate Hawke’s Bay”.
Invitations to donate work have been sent out to approximately 54 Hawke’s Bay artists who excel in their chosen styles and mediums and enjoy national prominence. Most of these artists still live and work in Hawke’s Bay but some are now established elsewhere but retain their Hawke’s Bay connection.
We are excited to announce that amongst the 46 artists who have accepted our invitation, Dick Frizzell, Jeff Thompson, Israel Birch, Freeman White and Sandy Densem (now based in the UK) have very generously offered to take part.
KEIRUNGA ARTISTS
Because this gala weekend is to showcase Keirunga Creative Arts Venue itself, the other event planned is to have Open Studios at Keirunga – a link with the Function Centre exhibition will be made by staging a Keirunga Artists and Havelock North Secondary Schools Fundraising Postcard Exhibition in the Frank Bacon Studio for the same 2 days of Friday 28th – Saturday 29th of October.
All Keirunga artists are invited to donate a work of postcard size to be part of this event. Work to be for sale and signed on the back, as an anonymous silent auction will run for the 2 days. Please contact Brenda Haldane rb.haldane@xtra.co.nz as soon as possible if you are willing to take part in the Frank Bacon Studio Postcard exhibition. Once we hear back from you further details will be sent out.
KEIRUNGA QUILTERS, PRINT MAKERS, CREATIVE FIBRE, FOLK ART, MINIATURES, WRITERS, MORRIS DANCERS, SINGERS, THEATRE, EMBROIDERERS, BOOK ARTS
We invite these groups to be present over the weekend in order to demonstrate, display and sell their work. We are planning on setting up areas to enable this to happen and hopefully the theatre group may perform over the weekend. Please contact Pam Thomson thomo.pam@gmail.com as soon as possible if you would like to take part
SPONSORS
There is also an ‘awareness’ cocktail party planned for July – venue and date to be confirmed. This event will introduce a number of influential and prominent people to Keirunga – what it is – what it does – what it plans for the future and who might be willing to help sponsor our efforts.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Moore, Keirunga Board Chairperson
Brenda Haldane, Keirunga Board Member