Changing Threads

16/06/2026

There are two textile-based workshops happening this week, including one by Colleen Plank, who was one of the very first award-winners for Changing Threads back in 2009! Since then she's been a finalist 13 times!

15/06/2026

This year's winner of the Bernina Award was Tammy Savage, for her work 'Cutting In'.

Just to say first, that Bernina New Zealand have been supporting Changing Threads since the very beginning - thanks Bernini - we appreciate you!

Tammy Savage is a Nelson-based multimedia artist. She's primarily interested in colour, light and shadow, and how this is transformed through contrast, texture and depth.

"These soft hanging Jogakbo (Korean patchwork) sculptures were crafted using flat-felled or Korean Ssamsol seams" wrote Tammy. "The use of lightweight translucent fabric and film lighting gels create shadows that can move. Shapes and colours overlap each other and change."

"A meditation of sorts, with each cut made in the materials, more was revealed and another piece of me fell away, the parts that no longer served me. I would mourn my losses, gather up what was left and sew it back together, a healing. Each new seam became a backbone of strength, pushing the work forward, helping to add dimension, emboldening a form to take shape – my shape. A weightless structure, but still holding its form. That structure is what gives it value."

Changing Threads is at Refinery ArtSpace until 18 July. Open every day.

Nelson City Council Uniquely Nelson Nelson Tasman

11/06/2026

It's nearly been a week already since we announced the awards for Changing Threads, so now it's time to shine some spotlights on the individual works, starting with the award winners.

First up is Lani Kalapu (Te Whanganui-ā-tara/Ueligitone/Wellington and Whakatū/Nelesoni/Nelson) who took out two awards for his piece, Maiden X.
- Supreme Award ($5000 cash prize)
- Hiwa | Arts Pasifika Award ($2000 cash prize)

It was so lovely to have Lani and his family at the Awards, so that people could congratulate him in person.

In the photos, that's Lani with his mum, Lesa Kalapu in the red coat, and his nana, Ann Fletcher. And if you haven't spotted it already, the other photos feature Lani wearing his own artwork.

A stunning work on so many levels.

Changing Threads is open every day at Refinery ArtSpace at 114 Hardy Street until Sat 18 July.

Refinery ArtSpace Nelson City Council Uniquely Nelson Nelson Tasman

05/06/2026

Congratulations to all the finalists for the 2026 Changing Threads Contemporary Textile & Fibre Art Awards. It's an absolutely stunning exhibition.

The 2026 award winners are:
- Supreme Award ($5000 cash prize) – Lani Kalapu, Maiden X
- Bernina Award ($2000 cash prize) – Tammy Savage, Cutting In
- Hiwa | Ngā Toi Māori Award ($2000 cash prize) – Gina Coatsworth, Resource Management Act (1991)
- Hiwa | Arts Pasifika Award ($2000 cash prize) – Lani Kalapu, Maiden X
- Hiwa | Emerging Artist Award ($1000 cash prize) sponsored by Dame Suzie Moncrieff and Fresh Choice Nelson – Zarah Stubbs, Be soft, bloodied hands
- Hiwa | Award of Excellence ($1000 cash prize) – Michelle Mayn, Kākano

The 2026 judges are Toni MacKinnon, Director of the Suter Art Gallery, and weaver, sculptor, multimedia installation artist and academic Maureen Lander. “We were impressed by the distinct and various approaches to exploring an engaging with textiles."

"This year it was wonderful to see that the awards were marked by a higher number of emergent artists which gave the exhibition a new energy. Also, it was refreshing to see a diverse range of cultural stories and influences in the art works."

“Started by Ronnie Martin, Changing Threads continues to go from strength to strength as seen in the record number of entries this year.”

It really is a fantastic display of contemporary textiles - we can't wait to welcome everyone coming through Refinery ArtSpace in the next six weeks, especially as this is the final exhibition in the Hardy St space.

Nelson City Council Uniquely Nelson Nelson Tasman

05/06/2026

We're just putting the final touches to the exhibition before we open for this evening's Gala Opening & Awards Presentation for Changing Threads 2026.

We will be live streaming on the page for Refinery ArtSpace - see you there at 6.15pm.

Nelson City Council Nelson Tasman Uniquely Nelson

05/06/2026