More than 40 artists in and around the district will open their doors this King’s Birthday Weekend for the inaugural Waitaki Arts Trail.

Visitors to the district, along with locals, are invited on a self-drive exploration loop between Ōamaru, Kakanui, Kurow and Waimate, with 22 different venues open to the public.

Artist Beth Strickland, who is also one of the organisers, says people are encouraged to get a free ticket from the Waitaki Arts Trail website, which makes them eligible to win one night’s boutique accommodation at Valli Wines, a wine tasting and grazing platter at River-T Winery, and a $100 meal voucher for Whitestone Diner and Deli.

Ticket holders are also encouraged to get signatures from each artist they visit for a chance to win more prizes at the end of the weekend.

“It's to encourage people to get around as many artists as they can,” Beth says.

“And besides that, we have participating businesses in the areas, so accommodation and food suppliers and some retailers are offering deals, and that's all just on showing the ticket, you'll get some kind of benefit, whatever they're offering.”

To save people time, and provide some artists with more suitable venues to showcase their work, Ōamaru has been divided into three hubs. There is also a “curator centre” in Orr’s store in Harbour Street that will be open all weekend, offering advice to people on where to go and who to see, according to what type of art they’re interested in. It will also have “huge” art installations, Beth says.

“That'll probably be a really good starting point for people.”

The Arts Trail organising committee has managed to secure funding from Creative Communities, and the Hynds Foundation, which has enabled them to run a digital advertising campaign throughout the South Island. They have also had strong support from Tourism Waitaki.

“So we're attracting people from around the South Island - with the focus on getting people from Dunedin - to come and stay for the weekend, see how cool Ōamaru is and want to come back and stay longer.”

The artists are a diverse group, such as goldsmith Nicole Schofield’s Boneshaker Workshop and acclaimed photographer Chloe Lodge, both based in Kurow.

While in Ōamaru, established artists such as Katherine Kovacs and Allan Jonassen, who has recently moved from Marlborough, showcase their work alongside early-stage and emerging artists, like the sustainability-focused seaweed art from The Kelpery.

Andrew Killick of Silenzio Pottery will be showing his work as part of the Waitaki Arts Trail next month. Photo: Supplied

The weekend is just as much about promoting the whole of the Waitaki, as it is the artists, Beth says.

“So it has a good spin-off for the whole economy of the region.”

Beth encourages people to check out the website, and plan their weekend ahead of time.

“So they go here, they get their free tickets, they download the map and guide, it's all online.”

Work began in December to get artists on board, and the response has been good.

“To get that many artists on board in a short time, arts trails always start small and grow every year. The Kapiti Arts Trail started with less than 20 and now they have over 300 artists.

”The Bay of Plenty Arts Trail grew to be a garden and arts festival and they get over 25,000 visitors in a weekend. 

“So we have the same vision for here, to expand it and include performing artists, light shows, gardens . . . to really make it a huge event that people want to come from everywhere to be here.” 

There are two arts trail events planned - the second to take place in October. 

“We're trying to attract people in the off seasons or the shoulder seasons.”

Beth and her fellow organisers also have plans for other events, such as portrait and landscape artist of the year events.

“We'll be choosing really interesting venues for that to happen, and people can come along and watch progress of the artists over time . . . and that will be open to everyone, all the artists in the region.” 

The group’s main objective is to support other artists and help give them a sense of community, because they often end up working in isolation or silos, Beth says.

The group is also running “little workshops” to help them learn about marketing and selling their work. 

“Things like how to deal with a gallery, how to be professional. 

“Even universities don't really teach the business side of art, so it's really important that it is a sustainable business, for those artists who want it that way.

“It's all supporting and promoting the artist, and our values are inclusivity, community, and authenticity. We just want to put Waitaki on the map for being the best creative place in New Zealand.”