Dates: 17 October – 7 November 2026
🎨 MAC Members’ Merit Exhibition 2026 🎨
Join us at Mairangi Arts Centre from 17 October to 7 November for our annual Members’ Merit Exhibition! This vibrant showcase celebrates the incredible creativity across our entire community, featuring original works from both our youth and adult members.
Come along to explore a diverse collection of 2D paintings, prints, and drawings alongside unique 3D ceramic and sculptural pieces—all created by local artists!
📍 Event Details
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, 17 October – Saturday, 7 November 2026
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM | Saturdays: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Mairangi Arts Centre, 20 Hastings Road, Mairangi Bay
Admission: Free entry – all welcome!
🏆 Awards & Prizes Tally
Our artists are competing for fantastic prizes across both categories, generously supported by our sponsors:
👥 Adult Category Awards
2D Art Merit Award: $250 Gift Voucher (Sponsored by Factory Frames)
Open 2D & 3D Art Merit Award: $250 Gift Voucher (Sponsored by Gordon Harris)
Best Use of Colour Award: Set of 50 x 100ml Kiwi Underglazes (Sponsored by Kiwi Underglazes)
🎨 Youth Category Awards (Ages 5–17)
1st Place: $95 MAC Money Voucher
2nd Place: 2x $30 Event Cinema Movie Vouchers
3rd Place: Art Supply Gift Bundle
Best Use of Colour Award: Set of 50 x 100ml Kiwi Underglazes (Sponsored by Kiwi Underglazes)
🗳️ Vote for the People’s Choice Award!
Every visitor gets a voice! While you browse the gallery, be sure to cast your vote for your favourite artwork to help decide the winner of the $50 MAC People’s Choice Award.
🖼️ Support Local Artists
Looking for a unique piece of original art for your home or a special gift? Exhibited artworks are available for purchase, directly supporting our local adult and youth creators.
Calls for entry are now officially closed. We look forward to seeing you at the gallery!
The MAC Members’ Merit Exhibition is opening soon, and we can’t wait to welcome you! Come celebrate the vibrant creativity of our community, from youthful imagination to seasoned artistry all right here at Mairangi Arts Centre.
- Dates: 17 October – 7 November 2026
- Location: Main & Hewson Galleries, 20 Hastings Road, Mairangi Bay
- Gallery Space: Main & Hewson Galleries
Explore a lively mix of 2D paintings, prints, drawings, and striking 3D ceramic and sculptural works, all created by local artists. Exciting awards await our adult and youth creators, with prizes ranging from gift vouchers to art supply bundles.
While you wander the galleries, cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award and help decide the $50 MAC prize. All artworks are available for purchase, supporting our talented members directly.
Free entry, open weekdays 9:30 am–4:00 pm and Saturdays 10:00 am–2:00 pm. See you at the exhibition
Oct 13
Spring into Mairangi Arts Centre on Saturday 17 October 11am-1pm for free family-friendly fun as we launch new community projects and open our MAC Members` Merit Exhibition:
- Explore and add your own creation to our Secret Garden*
- Discover the wonder of plants in our Sanctuary For the Senses*
- At 12pm, join us for the MAC Merit Award Ceremony and view the artworks by our members.
* These community projects are part of the "Curious Creatures of Mairangi Bay" digital trail proudly supported by Auckland Council, Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, Woolworths Mairangi Bay and Foundation North.
Oct 12
✨ Last Life Drawing Session ✨
Join us for our last drawing session of the year!
All skill levels & walk-ins and welcome - bring your sketchbook for an evening of fun🎨
- Day & Time: Tuesday, 6 October 6:45-8:45pm
- Cost: $15 at the door (no booking required)
- Materials: Please bring your own art materials.
Oct 2
Curious Creatures of Mairangi Bay is landing at the Play Tree on Saturday, 17 October! From 10 am to 2 pm, magical penguins will be waiting to spark games, wonder and playful discovery for all ages.
Grab your phone, scan the QR code and dive into a free digital activity trail that you can enjoy any time during the day. All you need is curiosity and a sense of adventure!
To celebrate the launch we’ve added extra play stations, a face painter and a few surprise treats—just for you. The Play Tree sits right next to the Harbour Beach Volleyball Centre on Maxwelton Drive, so swing by and let the penguins guide your fun.
A special thanks to Auckland Council, the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, and the Mairangi Arts Centre for making this possible, and to our local Primary and Intermediate students who designed the penguins. See you there, penguins!
Sep 28
✨ Meet our pottery tutor, Will Gu ✨
Will’s classes bring so much joy to our young artists - one student shared that she wanted to do pottery for the rest of her life, while another was so pleased to find her best friend in the class😊
Will says, “The classes are not just about making something or taking home a finished piece. It’s about helping them develop a love for pottery, enjoy the creative process, and build friendships through art.”
We interviewed him to find out more about his approach to teaching✨
🎨 How do you make learning clay fun for young artists?
"I encourage students to make what they want to make, and I teach them simple, accessible techniques so they can complete their projects with a sense of achievement. Creating a relaxed and supportive environment, where children can enjoy working with clay without too much pressure, helps them build a lasting interest in pottery.”
🎨 How do you encourage students to explore their interests?
"I try to give students enough time and space to explore what they enjoy. For students who enjoy wheel throwing, I encourage them to develop a connection with the clay through the process. For those who like drawing, I let them spend time decorating and developing their own ideas, while offering help when they come across difficulties."
Book his fun & supportive classes here or through the link in our bio.
① Crafty Clay Creations | Saturdays (10:00-11:30am (ages 7-12)
https://mairangi-arts-centre.live.baluu.co.uk/event/crafty-clay-creations-with-will-gu-1781134059
② Teen Weekend Wheel Throwing | Saturdays 12:00-1:30pm (ages 13-19)
https://mairangi-arts-centre.live.baluu.co.uk/event/weekend-wheel-throwing-with-will-gu-1781144089
Sep 28
✨ Meet our tutor, Mahsa Kheirkhah ✨
Mahsa is a multidisciplinary visual artist, working across sculpture, painting, jewellery, wearable art and mixed media. She was named Mural Painting Winner at Devonport Community House in 2024, received a Merit Award from Waikato Society of Arts in 2025, and was the Ultimate Winner at Lake House Arts Centre in 2026.
🎨 What do you love about working with young artists?
"What I love most is how fearless children are. They don`t hesitate before making a mark or shaping a form, they just do it. They bring an instinct and curiosity that many adults have to relearn, and that openness often leads them somewhere far more surprising and honest than a "correct" approach ever would."
🎨 Why is experimenting with different materials important?
"Trying many materials means they discover their own preferences and strengths. It also builds resilience; clay behaves differently to paint, papier-mâché differently again, so they learn to adapt and respond rather than give up when something doesn`t go as planned."
🎨 How do you create an environment where children feel confident to experiment, make mistakes and follow their imagination?
"I try to make it clear from the very first session that mistakes are part of the process, not a failure of it. I often show them my own works in progress, including the messy, unfinished stages, so they see that even a finished piece started out awkward or unsure."
Book her class here:
Mixed Media Adventures | Mondays 4:30pm-6:00pm (ages 7-12)
https://mairangi-arts-centre.live.baluu.co.uk/event/mixed-media-adventures-with-mahsa-kheirkhah-1788220466
Sep 27
✨ Meet our new tutor, Mark Whippy ✨
We’re delighted to welcome Mark to our team, who will be teaching Oil Portrait Painting Fundamentals✨
Mark is a figurative artist who paints portraits and figures with expressive realism. He studied Fine Arts at Whitecliffe College of Art and Design and Watts Atelier of the Arts, and teaches life drawing for animation students at AUT.
🎨 What can first-time oil painters expect?
“I have an approach to oil painting that is similar to charcoal drawing which makes it more forgiving. It allows room to keep things loose and expressive while still learning about the structure of the face to have the balance of looseness and realism to combine the best of both. It allows the artist to also input their own decisions and mark making into the piece. As we progress, we will learn about colours through limited palettes which makes colour mixing very simple."
🎨 What do you think brings a portrait to life and gives it character?
"Looking for the subjects personality, their story, what is interesting about that person, what kind of mood they show. Sometimes it helps to simply look at the subject and thinking about what is the most interesting thing to you about the subject that is in front of you, what is the story you can see and how can you tell this story to the viewer in the painting. I also think allowing paint to be paint is important in a portrait, Taking advantage of the nature of what the paint can do that a photo doesn`t already do."
Book his class here:
Oil Portrait Painting Fundamentals | Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30am (adults)
https://mairangi-arts-centre.live.baluu.co.uk/event/oil-portrait-painting-fundamentals-with-mark-whippy-1788213144
Sep 26
🏺 ONE-DAY POTTERY CLASSES | OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
Want to give pottery a go without committing to a full-term class? Join us for a one-day pottery session at Mairangi Arts Centre.
Get creative with clay, try something new and make a piece of your own to take home. Perfect for beginners and anyone who loves getting their hands dirty!
✨ Only $55 – all materials and firing* included!
October & November sessions available
📅 Sundays, 18 October – 15 November
⏰ 4:00–6:30pm
📍 Mairangi Arts Centre
Spaces are limited, so book your session now! 👐✨
👉 Book online here: https://shorturl.at/96QnY
Sep 22
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