In late 2018, a meeting was held after the Kerikeri Open Art Studios Trail, with committee members and other interested people, to discuss the future of KOAST (after five very successful years).
One objective of the meeting was to consider ways to support and promote art in its widest form through the Far North and Northland (traditionally an artistic stronghold) and whether a much wider overarching artistic concept could be developed in addition to KOAST to help promote Far North artists.
Earlier in 2018, this concept had been discussed and possible venues had been identified for several artistic endeavours including a biennial arts festival for the Far North. As well, discussion had taken place about an online gallery website where Far North artists could sell their work, a community collaborative gallery with a street frontage and a Youth Arts Prize.
At that stage a name for this overarching concept was also discussed – Bay of Islands Creative – under which all the above events including KOAST would be run. Some very informal but positive discussions had already been had in 2018 with potentially interested parties from Paihia, Opononi, the Doubtless Bay Promotions Society, Rawene and Kohukohu as well as many individual artists.
At the December 2018 post KOAST meeting it was decided to push ahead with the concept, look at how events might fit within it and how it could be managed and funded. The Bay of Islands Creative concept moved along a little further in early 2019 with a brand and logo being put forward, which was followed by letters of support being given by Matt King (Member for Northland, National Party) and Tania McInness (then Deputy Mayor of FNDC).
However, KOAST 2019 then took over the committee’s focus (all members are volunteers with their own roles) and Bay of Islands Creative was put on hold temporarily. During 2020, due to COVID and the cancellation of KOAST for a year, the opportunity to reactivate this concept. Research was undertaken at present enabled by a grant from the Lotteries Commission.
This research covered Bay of Islands Creative and the various activities it might comprise. It included the identification of suitable space for a community gallery with a street frontage, the viability of a Youth Art Prize, (including discussions with schools and a survey for Art Departments of Far North schools) the need for a year round art trail brochure identifying individual artists as well as galleries and the online gallery.
Once the research was completed, funding was applied for (from Creative New Zealand) to enable the online gallery to be developed, to replace KOAST 2020 and to develop the Bay of Islands Creative online gallery for all Far North and ultimately all Northland artists.