The exhibition was about connection, collaboration, creativity, community , connectivity. We stripped away all of the formalities of traditional exhibitions, with incredible up-and-coming artists, live music, beautiful food and great vibes. Born from a need for all these things and to celebrate the essence of the human heart again. We showcased and debuted our expo after the end of second lockdown
because there was something missing in the region and worldwide, massive polarity and disconnection. Giving our local artists and regional musicians an opening to join forces was met with great enthusiasm and we were able to raise enough to donate to Gumboot Friday - supporting mental health in NZ, which after the dreaded ‘vid’ and continues to increasingly be of such indispensable importance. I think we have all experienced, or know someone who has experienced mental health issues and the harrowing statistics of losses in N.Z. There are not enough mental health services readily available where our people have access to help and support, often people are being turned away or are being let down by the system. The last few years have been a hell of a struggle for many and Mike King and the Key To Life Foundation have done so much for those who have needed support most. His work is phenomenal and we wanted to support that in any way we can. It's not something that seems to be a priority for our government, so our communities need to pull together and make small changes ourselves. The name 'Out of The Blue', is a double entendre for a community banding together out of nowhere to create connection. Also to help others rise above and out from the struggles of the blues by raising awareness to help lessen the negative impact mental illness can cause within communities.
| OUT OF THE BLUE | ROUND TWO |
To recap ~ fostering experimentation, community and connection through creativity was our aim and sponsorship was an incredible contribution to our success last year and for our community and beyond to be a large part of that. It was a fresh approach to our experiences of exhibitions in the past and we were really humbled to make this happen. We are a non-profit organisation who showcase a high calibre of local artists and musicians in order to help raise awareness and money for mental illness’
The River House Wanaka lends itself symbiotically to health and the arts with its earthy tranquility and beauty. Our event has huge potential to represent the benefits of creativity through the collaboration of the community. We're really happy to have the opportunity to present our expo at The Stunning River House Wanaka for the second time running. We had no idea how popular our event would be last year and were overwhelmed by the support our small community and extended connections came forth with. Live music, dancing, a stunning grazing table, refreshments and a large portion of artists making sales - even before the exhibition had officially started. A real success story and one which we hope to emulate again this year. Last year we managed to raise a significant amount through artists sales but we're really working on upping the ante this year to attract even more numbers / sales, to raise more towards what we believe are indispensable services in this country. We hope to see you all there 🧿🌊
Thank you kindly,
Charley & Beth
|Hummingbird Photography | Flick & Co.
