Launched in 2022 as a registered New Zealand charitable trust, the Bay of Islands Creative Charitable Trust’s mission is to support and sustain  the practices of visual artists and creative practitioners. Whether established or emerging artists, we will promote creative endeavours while assisting public exposure of Mid and Far North art and artists from all types of media around Northland. We are dedicated to nurturing the creation and development of the arts in all of its wide range of media and forms. The Trust encourages individual and group creativity.

Through the Trust, it is intended to coordinate and grow a range of visual and other arts based activities in the Far North District including the well known event KOAST – The Tai Tokerau Art Trail. The Trust will engage in fundraising, marketing and the organisation of events for the arts sector in the Mid and Far North District.

The growing population of this area is not only increasing the pool of artists from all cultural backgrounds and the number of people interested in the arts, but also provides a real opportunity to gain increasing philanthropic support from arts benefactors.

In the past there have been a number of visual art events and activities around the region which could be even more successful if they were able to access more financial and skilled assistance.

This Trust is intended to be an umbrella under which arts events and activities in the Mid and Far North regions can find this experienced support and advice with committed time.

Among these are a community bricks and mortar gallery (a collaborative physical community art gallery for use of all Far North District artists), a Youth Art Competition linked into the NCEA Timeframes, an online gallery and sales platform for mid/far North and Northland  and of course KOAST.

TRUSTEES

Bruce MacGregor, Chair

Rick Palmer
Robyn Terlesk
Anna Hamilton
Melanie Chandler Winter
Erika Wasner
Lindsay Antrobus Evans
Judi Soutar