Harbourview Sculpture Trail

The Harbourview Sculpture Trail opens tomorrow on Auckland’s Te Atatu Peninsula and is a great opportunity for lover of art and the outdoors to combine their passions.

The Harbourview Sculpture Trail was first held in 2012 and is now one of the most anticipated shows in the Auckland arts calendar. Held in a unique environment, a broad range of site-specific artwork is set around ponds, native flax and bush within an untouched paradise nestled on Te Atatu Peninsula, set against a stunning backdrop of the Waitemata harbour.

The works have a strong tie to the environment and several of the artists live in the area. There are entries from schools, right through to artists from have entered the World of Wearable Art. The interactive aspect of some of the installations makes the trail interesting for all ages. It is an easy walk on grass, with plenty of paths to explore to uncover artwork.

Curator Sally Lush says that the beauty of large sculptural objects is only for parks and public gardens – sculpture and outdoor art is fast becoming the ‘must have’ item in New Zealanders’ backyard renovation projects. “We’re seeing people’s general interest in outdoor sculpture increase as they get more exposure to good sculptural work and it’s also becoming more widely available to purchase.

“People realise it is more effective to source an artwork that they love and work the garden design and landscaping around it, rather than having to try and find a piece to fit in a spot where nothing quite works,” she says. The Trail is produced and delivered by a committee of volunteer members and contractors, with a portion of the funds raised committed to sustaining the event and to support Peninsula Arts Inc’s broader mission to support emerging and established artists.

For those inspired by the work in the Harbourview Sculpture Trail, but whose garden or budget doesn’t quite stretch to a trail piece, there will be an Art Shop open at the beginning of the trail during opening hours.

The trail is open daily from Saturday 5 March to Monday 28 March 2016. It will be open for twilight visits until last entry at 7.30pm every Friday and Saturday, with gourmet food trucks and roving entertainment.

For more information please click here, or here for ticket information.