Kiwi Art Trail 2024/25 to launch in Tauranga in October

After a successful inaugural year in 2023, the Kiwi Art Trail is back for another year – and this time it’s heading to Tauranga.

Featuring 20 kiwi sculptures that have been designed by talented New Zealand artists, the Kiwi Art Trail is a family-friendly art installation that celebrates our national icon, the kiwi. When the trail ends the sculptures will be auctioned, and proceeds will be donated to kiwi conservation efforts.

Today, Gallagher Insurance, Save the Kiwi and Tauranga City Council announced that the Kiwi Art Trail will be heading to Tauranga in October, kick-starting an almost six-month roadshow around the North Island.

A campaign for two local artists to participate in the Tauranga leg of the trail also started today. Proceeds from the sale of these two sculptures will be earmarked for local kiwi conservation efforts.

Principal sponsor Gallagher Insurance led the 2023 campaign and is excited to bring the Kiwi Art Trail back in a bigger and better format.

“Gallagher Insurance is passionate about conservation and communities, so being able to combine the two has been awesome,” says Gallagher Insurance Sponsorship and Sustainability Manager Cam Castle. “We have supported Save the Kiwi for more than five years now. We love what they do, their work is tangibly helping to rebuild the kiwi population, and Gallagher is proud to be a part of that journey.”

Tauranga City Council City Partnerships Specialist, Kendyl Sullivan, says it’s exciting to have Tauranga city centre as the first stop on this year’s Kiwi Art Trail.

“The transformation in Tauranga city centre is well underway and this is a great opportunity for us to showcase our beautiful city while celebrating local artists,” she says.

“We’re delighted two local artists will have the chance to bring their kiwi designs to life for the wider community to appreciate and admire.”

Save the Kiwi representative Ross Halpin says the Kiwi Art Trail helps to bring kiwi to the forefront of New Zealanders’ psyche.

“Many people haven’t seen, heard, or experienced a kiwi up close,” he says. “The Kiwi Art Trail is a tangible way for everyday Kiwis, and visitors to our shores, to get up close and personal with an artistic representation of their namesake in a unique way, while celebrating some incredible New Zealand art.”

The Kiwi Art Trail will kick off in Tauranga in mid-October and run for 4-5 weeks.

Click here to apply to become one of the local contributing artists.