Moana Fresh is a marketplace and community space celebrating Pacific and Māori artists, creatives and authors indigenous to Moana Nui a Kiwa. We stock and sell works on behalf of more than 60 creatives including artworks, jewellery, ceramics, books and accessories. We actively seek to include and support artists who can face barriers in mainstream art spaces due to race, age, sexuality or formal education. Our whānau includes established artists, newly emerging, self taught and everyone in between. Alongside this we provide studio space, mentoring and exhibiting opportunities through our community hub in Avondale and via our window gallery Kū Kāhiko.
Founded by Ahilapalapa Rands(Kanaka Maoli/Hawaiian, iTaukei/Fijian, Pākehā) and Vaimaila Urale (Samoan) in 2019, our kaupapa is grounded in raising the representation of Pacific and Māori artists while also providing affordable and accessible art for our communities. As long-time art collaborators, we draw on our experiences as artists and art professionals working within the Pacific diaspora. Our collaborative values and Pacific ways of working underpin how we operate through manaakitanga, and working with a collective vision.
Our guiding principle is based on the ‘For Us by Us’ model, celebrating the collective knowledge, ingenuity and innovation unique to our people.