ASA | 61st Annual Exhibition Opening
Join us for the opening of the Ashburton Society of Arts Annual Exhibition on Monday 07 July at 7pm. Tickets for the ASA Opening Night are limited and are available to purchase from the Gallery reception. The Ashburton Society of Arts (ASA) Annual Exhibition returns to the Gallery this July for its 61st incarnation. This…
Judge’s Tour | Ashburton Society of Arts
Join us at 12.30pm on Wednesday 09 July for a Judge’s Tour of the Ashburton Society of Arts exhibition! At this special event, the ASA 2025 judge will give us a tour of the 61st annual exhibition and discuss the award-winning artworks.
School Holiday Activities | July 2025
We have some great activities running throughout the school holidays for kids of all ages. Check them out below, or visit the Ashburton District Council What’s On page to see all of the school holiday events across our facilities! Snowlace Wonders 28 June – 13 July | 10AM-4PM | Free | Drop in Create a…
Artist Talk | Nadia Curnow
At this special artist talk, Nadia Curnow will discuss her new exhibition Small Paintings Dedicated to Big Names. In this exhibition, Nadia draws inspiration from an international canon of art history, combining artistic influences from a wide range of ‘big names’ into unique paintings that blend abstract and figurative elements. This is a fantastic opportunity…
Puaka Matariki: I Tō Mātou Wāhi, In Our Place
Puaka and Matariki hold great significance for Māori, marking the beginning of the Māori New Year as these special whetū first appear in the midwinter sky. While the Matariki star cluster is celebrated by iwi across Aotearoa New Zealand, Kāi Tahu in Te Waipounamu also observe Puaka – the brightest star in the Orion constellation….
SS Ventnor Talk | Hannah King
Hannah is a member of the Ng/Wu whānau, descendants of Ng Jor Ching, whose kōiwi—headed for reburial in China—were on board the SS Ventnor when she sank off the coast of the Hokianga in 1902. At this special talk, Hannah will speak about the SS Ventnor, and the connections made in recent years, as part…
SS Ventnor Talk | Keith Gordon
In 2013, the wreck of the SS Ventnor was discovered off the North Island coast, sparking major international media interest and controversy. The ship had been transporting the disinterred remains of 499 Chinese miners from New Zealand to China for reburial when it was lost in 1902. What is to become of the bones still…
Artist Talks | Chloe Summerhayes, Sam Walker, and Bobby Kurb
Join us for three artist talks featuring Bobby Kurb, Chloe Summerhayes and Sam Walker. Bobby will discuss his new exhibition Before Black and White there was Colour, and Chloe and Sam will be in conversation discussing their collaborative exhibition The Same Coin. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the artists about their exhibitions and…
Caught in the Moment: Guardian photographs of 1975
What moments in time did the Ashburton Guardian photographers capture around Whakatere Ashburton throughout 1975? This selection of photographs from our large collection of Guardian negatives will take you on a journey across various aspects of life in our district 50 years ago. Although some of these images were published in the daily newspaper, most…
Operation Grapple Talk | Denise Baynham
In Operation Grapple, portraits of 19 New Zealand nuclear test veterans tell the story of this little-known chapter in New Zealand history of nuclear testing in the Pacific. In this talk, photographer Denise Baynham will discuss the exhibition, her motivation in pursuing this compelling personal project, and the photographic challenges along the way.
Island Breeze
Join us for our monthly Pasifika wāhine art and craft session in Ashburton! If singing, chatting, and art sounds like your cup of tea, come along on the third Thursday of every month from 12pm – 3.00pm. Island Breeze welcomes Māori and Pasifika. Kai is provided. Contact Fifita on 027 529 0022 for more details….
In Colour
In Colour is a great way to unwind and relax with like-minded people. Bring along your art and craft projects to share with others over morning tea once a month. These are social sessions that encourage you to connect with others through creativity. Be inspired to learn a new creative pastime. Sessions are free and new…
Art Addicts
Art Addicts (AA) is the Gallery’s weekly art space for kids during the school term. Wrap up your Wednesday school day and head to the AAGM to get creative and explore different materials and themes in art. AA is all about a fun, shared learning experience for all who attend. We encourage parents and grandparents…
Kōwhai Mums
Kōwhai Mums is a monthly art group that caters to ethnic and migrant mums/carers, as well as newcomers to Whakatere Ashburton. While this group has an emphasis on engaging with newcomers, any mums/carers with children aged 0-5 years are welcome to attend. Sessions provide a safe and fun environment for mums/carers to relax and socialise…