Hastings City Art Gallery

Te Whare Toi O Heretaunga Hastings City Art Gallery is focused on showcasing high-quality, contemporary art from Hawke's Bay, Aotearoa and beyond. This gallery has been a constant on the regional arts scene for many decades and is a treasured space in the city of Hastings.

To get to the gallery, you must first walk through Civic Square, and it is important to pause here for a moment and take in your surroundings. This is where you will come across Ngā Pou O Heretaunga, 18 pou tūpuna, which represent the 18 marae in the area, each facing the direction of the marae it represents.  The installation is a recognition of the past, taonga tuku iho, as well as being a promise of participation in the cultural life of the city by everyone in the community. 

It is important that this installation greets you as you make your way into the gallery, as it tells an important story of this place and the importance of art and culture to all who call Heretaunga home. 

The gallery itself is a place where artists are celebrated, with a wide array of exhibitions showcasing contemporary art across a variety of mediums. There are several galleries to explore, each tailored to suit the exhibition and work showing, from interactive and tactile displays to large-scale pieces that make you step back and pause. 

Education programmes are also available at the gallery, as well as a range of free programmes for the public, with hundreds of local children getting the chance to learn and explore their creative side here each year. And as any great gallery has, there is, of course, the shop, Te Toa, stocking a range of local and national artists. There are often one-off items available, the shop providing the perfect opportunity to find a special memento of your visit or a unique gift.