Beyond Acknowledgment: Deepening Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi through Art and Engagement

Creative Bay of Plenty’s Ngā Toi Māori Navigator Arohanoa Mathews is hosting a special event to explore how creative practice and art spaces can move past surface-level acknowledgement and inclusion towards true transformation, where Te Tiriti o Waitangi shapes the very foundations of how we create, curate, and connect.

The kaupapa will cover how:

• Art can be sourced from anywhere - personal experiences, imagination, history - but not all stories are ours to tell.  Engaging with mana whenua is essential when stories, symbols, or taonga belong to Māori (hapū).

• Genuine engagement goes beyond representation; it’s about relationships, trust, and sharing decision-making power with mana whenua.

• Treaty-led creative spaces invite diverse communities into honest kōrero, fostering empathy, understanding, and respect across cultures.

• By centring Te Tiriti, we create art that not only expresses the personal, but also upholds cultural integrity, avoids appropriation, and reflects the lived realities of the place it comes from.

This event will be of interest to Māori and non-Māori working in spaces of connection and collaboration for mutual benefit, particularly those involved in public art installations.  It will demonstrate how art can become a meeting ground, where personal expression and collective responsibility intersect, producing work that resonates deeply, challenges narrow mindsets, and contributes to social cohesion in Aotearoa.

When: 4.30-6pm, Tuesday 16 September 2025

Venue:  The Kollective, 145 Seventeenth Avenue, Tauranga

Of interest to: Creatives, public art practitioners, local government representatives, mana whenua

Register:  While this is a free event, registrations are essential.