News & Blog
Susanne nominated as a Westfield Local Hero
We need your help – vote for Susanne Ritzenhoff, Toi Ora Director, to be the St Luke’s Westfield Local Hero. If she receives the most votes, Toi Ora will receive $20,000 to continue our vital work supporting people in mental health distress through free and professional creative programmes. Vote here. Why vote for Susanne and […]
Toi Ora artist excited for her first exhibition at Studio One Toi Tū
Kay Shibuya’s exhibition hopes to spread love and peace throughout the world, especially to war-torn areas. Titled Love and Peace, Kay’s exhibition opens on Wednesday 29 July at 5 pm at Studio One Toi Tū and runs until 27 August. Exhibiting at the gallery for the first time, Kay says it wasn’t something she had considered until Toi Ora Artist […]
Toi Hono Exhibition in time to celebrate Matariki
Toi Hono is a art class from the te ao Māori perspective. Many pieces are worked on collaboratively, including the centre piece of the latestToi Hono Exhibition. Toi Hono is a newer class at Toi Ora. To begin with, the class attendance used to be one or two people, but now it’s flourishing with all […]
NZ Music Month, a time to celebrate!
NZ Music Month in May is a time to celebrate the important role music plays in the cultural life of Aotearoa, and the positive impact it can have on wellbeing, identity, and connection. By Artist Liaison Merrin Cavel. At Toi Ora, music is one of the many art forms that enhances wellbeing. Through weekly acoustic […]
Toi Ora Impact Report 2024 – 2025
We may be a small creative space, but we make a large impact Read the Toi Ora Impact Report for the financial year of 2024-25, and find stories like: A special thank you to all our funders. Thank you for creating a safe and supportive space which allows our artists to make meaningful change through […]
Welcome New Artist Liaison Merrin Cavel to Toi Ora
Merrin Cavel comes from a performing arts background, and is looking forward to helping create a space that is safe, fun and creatively inspiring. Tell us a bit about yourself and your background I come from a performing arts background, and have spent over 20 years working in support and leadership roles alongside people living […]
Toi Ora artist Mars Cook put ‘the harbour bridge in drag’
Mars Cook was behind the light installation on Auckland Harbour bridge for Auckland Pride and has been coming to Toi Ora since he was 14. What did it mean to you to create the light installation for Auckland Pride? This project was something that aligned with several of my favourite things. Multimedia, public artwork that commemorates an important event in Aotearoa’s history, […]
Free Toi Ora Art Exhibition at Queen’s Wharf
Check out a Toi Ora art exhibition at Queen's Wharf, near the downtown ferry building on until May. More than 20...
‘My art is the boat I travel on’: Reflections from a Toi Ora alumni artist
In Toi Ora’s 30th year, we caught up with an alumni artist, Sam RB, who attended Toi Ora from 2000 – 2010. Sam has kept up a consistent creative practice, which has led him to places such as the London Olympics, but more importantly, it has guided him on his path to get to know […]
Congrats: Zet wins 2025 Toi Ora t-shirt design competition
Inspired by 2024 winner Andrew Blythe and other Toi Ora artists, Zet had fun designing this year’s winning design, which features the Toi Ora façade with a big planet, Matariki stars and alien-like creatures. Learn more about Zet, their design, and their inspiration. And a big congratulations from the Toi Ora team – we love […]