Mahara Gallery is staging a three-month programme of free events in Mahara Place, Waikanae, that will include everything from live concerts and art works on display to workshops for children.
Live Art @ Mahara, made possible by a grant from the Waikanae Community Board, has begun and runs until after the school holidays on 28 April.
Event Coordinator Fiona Gunter-Firth says the programme has been planned to bring people, colour and drama into Mahara Place.
“It’s a wonderful space, ideal for summer events and we’re very grateful to the Waikanae Community Board for making Live Art @ Mahara possible,” she says.
“It’s also a reminder, as the construction of the new Mahara nears completion, of the important role that the Gallery plays in the artistic life of Waikanae and wider Kāpiti.”
The programme begins with an artist’s “pop-up” outside Mahara iti as part of the Tuesday 31 January market day and ramps up on Friday 3 February with a lunchtime concert on the outdoor stage by Kāpiti jazz singer, guitarist and songwriter, Jess Deacon
Deacon performs with ensembles across Kāpiti and Wellington. The daughter of opera singer Margaret Medlyn, she studied jazz at the New Zealand School of Music, working with jazz legend Roger Fox.
Jess returns to the outdoor stage at midday on Saturday 11 February with “Play on Words” her trio. Mr Fungus, Kāpiti’s internationally acclaimed family entertainer. will perform at 11am.
To promote the work of local visual artists’ market day tables outside Mahara Iti will be repeated 14 February, 21 March and 14 April.
On Saturday 25 February, Ōtaki-based kite-maker Yvonne de Mille will run workshops for children making wind-socks to be displayed in the Waikanae mall. Registration for the event needs to be made through the gallery.
Two days earlier Kāpiti flute player Monica Verburg will present a lunch-time concert, “Sounds by the Sea” – a colourful palette of original compositions.
World and Latin beats will be performed by flutist Michelle Scullion and guitarist Julie Bevan at midday on Friday 3 March.
Trumpet player Geoff Culverwell, another Kāpiti musician who performed during the 2021 Wellington Jazz Festival and this year at the Manawatu Jazz festival, will present a lunchtime concert with his trio on Saturday 1 April.
A dancing Taniwha and disco dance class will be roaming the mall before Geoff and his trio play.
During the first week of the school holidays in April, REACT will run a continuous workshop for children making musical instruments from recycled materials the children can have fun parading around the mall playing the instruments as well. them.
Event coordinator Fiona Gunter-Firth says the Live Art @ Mahara programme has something for everyone.
“It’s a great opportunity to see and hear some of the talented performers and artists we have in Kāpiti, she says. “Come along with your friends, sit at one of the numerous cafes and enjoy this free series of events – it’s also an opportunity to do some local shopping.”
