Tauranga seeks young street art talents

The Paradox Youth Street Art Competition, organised by Tauranga City Council in conjunction with Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, aims to encourage the creative talent of young, aspiring and emerging street artists. The competition was originated as part of Paradox: Tauranga Street Art Festival and provides a showcase for their works along with the opportunity to transform one of Powerco’s substations into a piece of art.

Young artists aged 13 to 24 years from schools, tertiary education providers and community groups in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty can register and submit their work by Tuesday, 23 May. To showcase the variety of street art, the young artists are free to create art with and on any material they choose, as long as the surface is no larger than A1 (594 x 841 mm) and the piece can be easily moved.

Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout is thrilled about this opportunity for youth to show their talent.

“Paradox: Tauranga Street Art Festival is about engaging all audiences with street art and this competition encourages the city’s and region’s young talents,” Mr Clout said.

“It highlights the creativity and vision of our young local artists through the medium of street art.”

A panel of well-known personalities of the arts and street art scene will judge the submitted pieces. The winning artist will get the chance to reproduce their entry on one of Powerco’s substations.

Sponsorship and Marketing coordinator Lorraine Harding said Powerco was excited to see youth being highly involved.

“One of our substations has already been transformed into a piece of art by Wongi and we look forward to see another one being transformed by Tauranga’s next superstar street artist,” she said.

The winners of the competition will see their works exhibited alongside works by Wongi, Lucy McLauchlan, Jacob Yikes and Milton Springsteen.

Dr Amanda Torr, Executive Dean: Teaching, at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, is looking forward to see the emerging talents.

“The Bay of Plenty is home to a plethora of talented artists from all walks of life,” said Dr Torr.

“We were very excited to come on board as sponsors for this event encouraging our younger creatives.

“As part of the competition the winning pieces will be exhibited for the public to enjoy from 29 May to 9 June 2017 in our newly opened Te Ara o Mauao building at the Windermere Campus. This building houses our own creative students and provides a great gallery space for the pieces.”

The exhibition will conclude with live music and great food to set the stage for the live auction on 9 June at 7.30pm, which will see money raised go back to the young creatives and to the Edgecumbe fund. The winning pieces as well as the works by well-known street artists from New Zealand and abroad will be on auction. All funds raised by the auction of the works by Wongi, Lucy McLauchlan, Jacob Yikes and Milton Springsteen will be donated to the Edgecumbe fund.

The Paradox: Youth Street Art Competition is free to enter. Young creatives only need to fill out a registration form and email it to [email protected] or drop a paper copy off at Tauranga City Council’s customer service centre at 91 Willow Street, Tauranga. Once registered the young talents have until Tuesday, 23 May to finish their piece, take a picture of it and send it through to [email protected] or post it on My Tauranga on Facebook.

All information on how to register and be part of the competition are available at www.taurangastreetartfestival.nz/programme