Creative Spaces Project 2026 Opening Night

From luxury accommodations and retail stores to cafés, foyers, libraries, and community hubs, creative expression will pop up far beyond traditional gallery walls. Local artists will showcase a broad spectrum of work, including light installations, visual arts, live performances, and interactive pieces, hosted by local venue partners eager to welcome artistic expression into their spaces.

This evening brings together our artists, venue partners, supporters, and local community. A moment of gratitude for everyone who made this possible, and a celebration of the month of creativity ahead.

The Creative Spaces Project opening night will also celebrate the opening of Burning Issues, an exhibition presented at Te Atamira as part of the project, featuring powerful photographic works by internationally acclaimed environmental artists Martin Hill and Philippa Jones. Documenting temporary sculptures created from natural materials in the Southern Lakes landscape and returned to nature after being photographed, the exhibition makes a compelling statement about the ecological and climate crisis, highlighting nature’s regenerative systems as a model for a more sustainable future. Martin and Philippa will speak to their work at the opening.

The Creative Spaces Project is brought to you in partnership with Queenstown Lakes District Council and Three Lakes Cultural Trust, supported by Central Lakes Trust, Creative Queenstown, Creative New Zealand and Silo.

To learn more about The Creative Spaces Project and a map of locations visit the Three Lakes Cultural Trust website.

Image credit: Light installation by artist Tim Klein at Roost Mortgage Brokers, Arrowtown. Photographer: Deanna Gerlach